Thousands of fans all over the globe stared at the prowess of this man who became, from that moment on, one of the most important paradigms of national and international athletics. Upon his arrival to Cuba, he was received like a hero. Known then as the вЂњelegant of the tracksвЂќ, no one has ever win in these two tests that were considered up to 1976 too different to overcome at the same time because the 400 meters were comprised among the speed tests while the 800 were the beginning of the resistance ones. No runner, neither before nor after that, has been able to equal JuantorenaвЂ™s triumphs. In the latter, he was able to establish two world records. The tall runner, who was born in the southeastern province of Santiago de Cuba, was the first in the list of Cuban Olympic champions and he did it exceptionally well for a start because he won the MontrealвЂ™76 finals of 400 and 800 meters.

In the 1970вЂ™s, the world witnessed the ascension of a man who made history in athletics: Alberto Juantorena Danger, one of those exceptionally gifted athletes whose deeds still survive in time. Final results: Hayes, 10.01 seconds Figuerola, 10.02.ДЇrom that moment on, when speaking about athletics, we make more reference to outstanding athletes that have been active for several years and we speak less about the number of medals obtained by them. Such result took place in a very even run between the American Bob Hayes, stout and notably tall, and the Cuban, small but big-hearted and displaying and enviable reaction in the start. Nevertheless, the first Olympic medal was a silver one won by Enrique Figuerola in the 100 meters during the games held at Tokio in 1964.

Only boxing surpasses such figures with an impressive total of 32-15-8. Those were the cases of Rafael FortГєn and ГЃngel GarcГa, runners of 100 and 400 meters respectively.ДЇortГєn became triple gold medalist in the classic athletics test during the first three continental games, from that of Buenos Aires, in 1951 GarcГa defeated the world champion of the 400 meters at the time, the Jamaican George Rodhen, in the Central American and Caribbean Games taking place in Mexico 1954.Д¬uban athletes began to conquer Olympic Gold medals from Montreal вЂ™76 and the figures, up to the Sydney Olympics, totaling seven gold, ten silver, and ten bronze medals. Even before the triumph of the revolution, in 1959, there were other gifted athletes that showed their qualities mostly in Pan-American and Central American and Caribbean Games.

That is the reason why we are sure when we say that athletics is one of the most emblematic sports of the island. JosГ© Barrientos, a human bullet in the 100-meter competition, opened the eyes of the whole world to show CubaвЂ™s potential in athletics when, as early as 1928, he run that distance in 10.2 seconds.

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