TOKYO, Japan, Jul 21 (ACN) Cuban discus thrower Yaime Perez, already on Japan, is thrilled to have been chosen as one of the two Cuban standard-bearers, and the first Cuban female athlete ever, for the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Games.
And no wonder, since Yaime, world champion in Doha 2019, will walk alongside Greco-Roman wrestler Mijain Lopez, who will be doing so for the fourth consecutive time.
Other emotions will come on July 31, when she will make her debut at the Olympic Stadium with her sights set on being one of the 12 finalists who will fight for the medals on August 2, when she hopes to climb the podium, especially if it is to receive the gold medal.
She is one the favorites in that regard, along with her fellow countrywoman Denia Caballero, world champion in Beijing 20105, who has not had great marks in the season but whose experience should be enough to develop her potential when it comes to the crunch.
Her main rivals are the Croatian Sandra Perkovic, champion in London 2012 and Rio 2016, and the top-ranked Jorine van Klinken from the Netherlands (70.22 m) and Valarie Allman of the United States (70.01 m). However, Yaime also has a good chance, as she is third with 68.99 m, followed by Perkovic (68.31 m), whereas Denia has failed to reach the 63-m mark in the current season, hence the need to make an extra effort to finish among the top eight.
She is currently training in the city of Tashikawa, some 40 kilometers west of Tokyo, in order to overcome the time difference.
About her designation to carry the flag she said: “I believe that Cuba had other athletes who also deserved to be the delegation’s standard-bearer, that is why I am even prouder that they chose me.”
Yaime has been working on the stability of the throws and the improvement of her technique, “what needs to be done at this stage after we went through a whole process to get here. I am highly motivated, and my expectations are the same as always, to go out and do the best I know how,” she confessed.
