Dayron Robles of Cuba after his victory in Gothenburg (© Hasse Sjögren)
After a busy European campaign, return home and another short trip to France in the winter, Cuban rising star Dayron Robles took a week off to recharge his batteries. He has recently resumed training to build-up a solid base towards the summer, with the Pan American Games and the World Championships in sight.
Here’s what the 20-year old hurdler told us in his April online diary for the IAAF
“Greetings to the IAAF website readers.
“After a busy and successful indoor tour in Europe and another visit to France for the French National Sprints and Hurdles Clinic in Poitou Charentes, I completed my first 110m Hurdles race of the year in 13.35 seconds, at the Rafael Fortun National Meeting in Camagüey, some 530km east of Havana, on 16 March.
“That marked the end of the first period of training towards 2007, which started with very good results in my first full indoor campaign, including a personal record and a season’s best of 7.38.
“I took a short and well-deserved week off and visited my family in my hometown of Guantanamo, the easternmost Cuban province.
“I love being with my family and friends. High performance demands a lot of travelling and it inevitably takes months before you can return home, but you need to make a pause to recharge your batteries.
“Back to Havana, I resumed training under the guidance of my coach Santiago Antunez, together with my training partners, over a dozen men and women, experienced and younger hurdlers.
“So far so good. We are working on endurance to speed and strengthening our muscles. I am motivated and I know every day in training counts.
“I have no rush to start competing again. We have to build-up a good base for a long season with major commitments ahead, like the Pan American Games and the World Championships in Osaka. The Golden League is also on the agenda.
“Other members of the Cuban national team will do training camps in Brazil and Venezuela. I have been invited to take part in some races in late April and early May, but that’s not decided yet.
“As in 2006, the Cuban National Championships and the Barrientos Memorial, 25-27May, should be my last tune-up before travelling to Europe to start the summer campaign in Spain.
“With the Golden League, we expect to be at the series’ opener in Oslo, on 15 June and then keep racing as part of the preparation for the Pan Ams and the Worlds.
“With such good results indoors, many people, including my coach and myself, expect me to run under 13 seconds and break the national and CAC records.
“But I don’t want to talk too much about it. I just want to do the right things on the track and focus on improving the different aspects of the race, from start to finish.
“Off the track, I was able to catch up with my first year studies at the Higher Institute of Physical Education and Sports, after missing lessons for a month and a half due to the indoor season. I go to school every Wednesday and Saturday. I rest on the weekends and spend time with my aunt Mildred, who lives in Havana.
“The rest of my family, including my mom and my two sisters, live in Guantanamo, but they come often to visit me.
“Regrettably, we are now mourning the death of an aunt on my dad’s side, on 9 April, as a result of a brain hemorrhage four days earlier.
“With so many young Cuban athletes training hard to make it or stay at world class level, there is a good atmosphere in the national team and we hope to repeat or improve our performance at the previous World Championships in Helsinki 2005, where we won six medals, including two golds.
“For many of us, 2007 will mark our debut in the Pan American Games, viewed as the Olympics for the Americas continent. This year’s edition will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 13-29 July.
That’s all for now, dear athletics fans. I look forward to updating you again in May.”
Dayron
Chack out Dayron's previous diaries at: