Cuban high jumper Luis Enrique Zayas was eliminated this Wednesday from the men's high jump final in the Olympic athletics competition, after failing to clear the 2.27-meter mark set by the organizers of Paris 2024.
Zayas started his sequence without any faults at 2.15 and 2.20 meters before clearing the bar at 2.24 meters on his third attempt. The rest of his jumps were unsuccessful, and he had to bid an early farewell to the competition.
"You can be sure I gave it my all," said the Cuban athlete in statements collected by the newspaper JIT. He also mentioned that he had only "about 10 weeks of training, the first few even without being at 100 percent. The most challenging part today, I think, was finding the rhythm in my run-up, especially as the heights started to increase."
The island's athletics team will also see Roxana Gómez competing in the 400 meters semifinals, while Lázaro Martínez, Cristian Nápoles, and Andy Hechavarría will face the qualifying round in the triple jump.
Currently, Cuba stands at the 41st position in the Olympic medal tally, thanks to a gold medal by Mijaín López, which allowed the Caribbean delegation to climb up the rankings on Tuesday.
FAQs on Luis Enrique Zayas' Performance and Cuba's Olympic Standing
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding Luis Enrique Zayas' performance in Paris 2024 and Cuba's current standing in the Olympics:
Why did Luis Enrique Zayas fail to qualify for the finals?
Luis Enrique Zayas failed to qualify for the finals because he could not clear the 2.27-meter mark required by the event organizers.
How did Luis Enrique Zayas perform in his attempts?
Zayas started well, clearing 2.15 and 2.20 meters without faults and then 2.24 meters on his third attempt. However, he failed to clear any higher marks after that.
Who are the other Cuban athletes competing in the Olympics?
Other Cuban athletes include Roxana Gómez in the 400 meters semifinals, and Lázaro Martínez, Cristian Nápoles, and Andy Hechavarría in the triple jump qualifying round.