YULIMAR IS BACK

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The Olympic champion and world record holder in the triple jump, returned to competition after almost 11 months away from the tracks and pits. Although she only had null attempts, she is back in the high competition with a lot of motivation and having the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as her main goal.

On April 12, 2024, the athletic and Olympic world was surprised with the news from Madrid, Spain. Yulimar Rojas, Venezuela’s most outstanding athlete, was out of the Paris Olympic Games due to injury. Injury in the Achilles tendon, which prevented her from defending the title achieved in Tokyo 2020.

“With much pain and sadness I want to tell you that, training, at the reception of a jump, I had an intense pain that translates to an injury in the left Achilles tendon. My heart is also broken and I want to apologize for not being able to represent you in Paris 2024”, said the triple jump recordwoman at the time.

Eleven months later, with sacrifice, dedication and, above all, with surprising resilience, Yulimar returned to top competition. At the Ciudad de Salamanca Athletics Trophy, the Venezuelan athlete returned to the sand pit after 540 days without competing officially, but this time in the long jump.

Although her participation consisted of four null attempts, the most important thing was her return to the track after almost a year away from her passion.

“It’s an important first step, I’ve been looking forward to coming back. I am happy to be back. Now, we have to keep working and improving to meet again. Thanks to everyone for the nice wishes and for accompanying me,” said Rojas after the competition.

“It has been a very long time of waiting, it has been a time of recovery, of healing, and the moment of being here I think is wonderful and I treasure it with all the love in the world,” the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion told Olympics.com.

Although she did not qualify for the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing this year, her main objective from now on is to prepare herself in the best way possible and conquer the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028.

A goal that he will surely achieve with the support of his Cuban coach Ivan Pedroso and all his people in Venezuela, to whom he also had words of gratitude after his participation in Salamanca.

“A message for all my people who have always been with me there, for all that beautiful country that is Venezuela: thank you for being attentive. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for being so attentive to this competition [in Salamanca]. There is Yulimar Rojas for a while. In the summer I believe that very nice things will come and I hope you wait for him as I am waiting for him”, concluded Yuli.

ECHEVARRIA 4TH PLACE

Another athlete who reappeared in the Salamanca Tournament was the Cuban Juan Miguel Echevarría. Although he had a first appearance in Pombal in January of this year, after more than 3 years without competing due to problems with Cuban authorities, this weekend he obtained the fourth position with 7.48 meters in the long jump, still far from his great records that led him to win the silver medal in the Olympic Games of Tokyo 2020.

His compatriot Aniel Molina took first place and the gold medal with a mark of 7.91 meters, second place went to Alejandro Parada, also from Cuba, with 7.85 meters and third place to Eusebio Cáceres, from Spain, with 7.63 meters.