A few hours ago the European Athletics Championships culminated in Zurich, Switzerland, where several Cubans had good performances on behalf of other nations, and where the so-called weaker sex made headlines.
The Letzigrund Stadium in the Swiss city witnessed how the Cuban-turned Italian, Lisbania Grenot, won the race in the 400 meters, ahead of the Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu from the UK, who this time was out of the awards podium when she finished fourth.
Grenot, 31, ran the distance in 51.10 seconds to leave in the second position Ukrainian Olha Semliak (51.36) and stay close to her personal best and the Italian national record (50.83).
“La Pumita” as they call her, has had for a few years already the Italian citizenship after her marriage, and has represented that country in Olympic and world events.
However, the more striking news for Cuban athletes in the same race was Indira Terrero, once first among the Cuban ladies in that distance.
Petite, with good technique, good passing range, but with a relatively low rate compared to the elite, she got her first major performance on behalf of Spain to hang on her neck the bronze medal.
Pan American champion in the 4 x 400 relay at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro 2007, she clocked 51.38 to improve what she had done in the season, although she remained somewhat distant of her personal best of 50.98 seconds.
Now coached by the same manager who guided jumper Niurka Montalvo, Rafael Blanquer, Terrero left the Cuban delegation in 2010 during the celebration of the Iberian- American Athletics held in San Fernando, Cádiz, Spain, where long-distance runner Mauri Surel Castillo also defected.
In this same event stood up discus thrower Frank Casañas to finish in eighth place in a test dominated by stellar Robert Karting and Gerd Kanter, from Estonia and Germany, respectively.
The three Cubans are ready to intervene in the eleventh stop of the Diamond League to be held on August 28th in this same Swiss stadium.
