Havana, November 29 (JIT) - Twenty Cubans in eight sports have quotas for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as part of a qualification process that will last until June and should bring many more tickets. 

This was confirmed by José Antonio Miranda, general director of high performance of Inder, during his speech at the X International Convention of Physical Activity and Sports (Afide 2023). 

"We received the last notification just last week. Arlenis Sierra secured her ticket through the International Cycling Union ranking," he announced before detailing that Cuba's quotas are distributed among athletics (6), wrestling (4), boxing (3), canoeing (2), table tennis (2), shooting (1), modern pentathlon (1) and cycling (1).

"In table tennis, the same day we registered the delegation for the Pan American Games of Santiago 2023, a change was made in the qualification system. Previously, the winners of the gold in singles went through, but it was replaced by the mixed double, in which dates later our athletes won," he commented. 

Miranda referred to the fact that Cuba's objective is not so much to seek a higher number of qualifiers than in previous editions. "In the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, with the third smallest delegation in our history, only 69 athletes, a high efficiency was achieved to the point of concluding in 14th place with seven gold medals," he recalled. 

He ratified the criterion of not excluding any qualifier, but the most significant thing lies in fulfilling the purposes and forecasts set. "We have been working very seriously because that will help us with the place, that is to say, the results that our athletes can have and the medal options," he reflected.

"We are working on this strategy not only in the general direction of high performance. It has joined that great scientific potential that sport has with its different centers, all in function of an objective: to achieve a result in function of the performance of our athletes," he confessed.

Another aspect he pondered during his lecture was the important renewal in high performance. "It is happening for the better, we have to look to the future. What the 2028 and 2032 cycles have in store for us will depend on whether we can maintain this sporting reserve. They proved it in San Salvador 2023 and in the Pan American Games in the Chilean capital."

Miranda pointed out that the fundamental weight of the medal count was carried by athletes who participated for the first time in these competitions, because they have worked with a lot of intelligence...

"Regardless of what has been achieved, we have to do many things. The sport is going through material, financial and technological resources, but that has not stopped us because with creativity and innovation our athletes and coaches are able to reach the podium. Many do not imagine what is behind the sacrifices and dedication", he praised.

He explained that there are priorities. In the current circumstances, it is necessary to work in a personalized way with the athletes, he explained. "We cannot work in a general way, with complete sports, but with the individualities that have potential to be able to keep us among the top 20 countries in Paris 2024," he assured. There is no other way to distribute the budget and conceive the critical path. 

"We have about 15 athletes who must receive all the priority and attention; a multisectoral work in the little time we have left for training and preparation. 

The Santiago 2023 Pan American Games showed that we have young athletes to prepare and accompany. "Despite the many limitations, we will not stop," he concluded.