Yacnier Luis became the first Cuban to break the 49-second barrier in the 400-metres Hurdles, when he clocked 48.83 in a local meeting at Havana's Estadio Panamericano.
The 22-year old smashed his previous standard (49.19), set a week earlier on the same track. "My new strategy of running 13 steps in the first five hurdles worked out. Now I hope to make the Olympic team", said a happy Luis, who equalled the national record in 2002 and participated in the 2003 World Champs in Paris.
One the 15 fastest 400m Hurdles this season, the 6-foot tall athlete wants to take his personal best to 48.50 and "that could take me to the Olympic final", he added.
In the field, 19-year old Osniel Tosca improved his triple jump personal best to 17.17 and Pan American gold medallist Adriana Muñoz also bettered her 800m with a 2:00.10-minute win.
The 22-year old smashed his previous standard (49.19), set a week earlier on the same track. "My new strategy of running 13 steps in the first five hurdles worked out. Now I hope to make the Olympic team", said a happy Luis, who equalled the national record in 2002 and participated in the 2003 World Champs in Paris.
One the 15 fastest 400m Hurdles this season, the 6-foot tall athlete wants to take his personal best to 48.50 and "that could take me to the Olympic final", he added.
In the field, 19-year old Osniel Tosca improved his triple jump personal best to 17.17 and Pan American gold medallist Adriana Muñoz also bettered her 800m with a 2:00.10-minute win.
