11 years ago Gabriel Da Silva Diego was piloting his aircraft of the Brazilian Air Force as usual. It was a training flight, in which he was carrying paratroopers who would perform several practice exercises.
“From time to time I had these missions, and I always saw them smiling, calmly before jumping, enjoying the moment, literally taunting the opponent,” confesses to OnCuba, Diego, 35, a Brazilian who fell in love with the modality at that time.
“I want to do that too,” he thought, and since then he started jumping non-stop for over a decade. “I put all my money into this,” said the Brazilian in perfect Spanish, who was crowned king of the XI Latin American Skydiving Championships in Varadero, north of Matanzas.
At the resort´s Skydiving International Center, the South American showed his world class for about a week, when he wowed with his accuracy jump after jump, some with the highest level of precision sufficient to oust the Cuban squad.
However, the female local representation succeeded in breaking the absolute reign of Brazilians, thanks to the leadership of Marisol Maldonado Castellanos, leading expert who has been jumping for 33 years but still suffers nerves before getting on the plane or helicopter.
“We can talk, but after the jump, before I do not concentrate,” she revealed when we approached her. Indeed, after the jump that gave her the leadership of the regional contest, after decreasing tensions, then she explained all the details of her nerves.
“You can pass all the years you want, but each competition always feels the same. And mind you, is not the nerve to jump and something happening to me, that I’m over it, is the nerve to compete, to fight to win, that stresses me a lot, “she says, who started at age 14 to practice the modality in the Cacocún town in eastern Holguin province, where she was enrolled while studying at the Training School for care centers.
Like Diego, Marisol shone and secured the top from the opening jumps due to the concentration and analysis of the circumstances on stage, of course, highly praised by the organizers, competitors and visitors.
One of the most impressed was the president of the Latin American Federation of Parachuting, who evaluated the idea of Cuba as a reference point for this sport.
“Since I participate in these events, either as an athlete or as an official, I had not seen one of so high level. Great area, very safe jump, great weather, incredible air support, along with a complete, unique, in a paradise like Varadero “confirmed the official.
He also spoke of the need to promote the sport in the Caribbean country, which currently has seen its national teams aging. “The Cuban athletes when they go for it, can be very good in any discipline, so I think they can make the best of young people who are interested and explore other modalities such as free fall if conditions are created. I think in the future will reach very high, “concluded Derviche.
