Cuban athlete Yarisleidis Cirilo, one of the golden hopes of her delegation, directly qualified for the semifinals in the C1-200 meters category of Olympic canoeing at Paris 2024 this Thursday, posting the second-best time in the qualifying round.
Cirilo, the reigning world champion in this discipline, stopped the clocks at 45.94 seconds, a time only surpassed by American Nevin Harrison (45.70), the current Olympic champion and winner of series 2.
"I knew I would face quality opponents in my series, but the goal was always to avoid the quarterfinals. I aimed to achieve a good time and perform technically as best as possible," stated the native of Guantánamo in comments collected by the newspaper JIT.
"The level is very high, but I think that's normal. Everyone prepares to participate in the Olympic Games and win a medal. There will always be some who prepare better, which doesn't necessarily mean more, and sacrifice more in training," added the sports publication.
Individually, Cirilo, the continental champion, will return to her boat on Saturday to seek advancement to the medal rounds. Before that, she will compete in the C2-500 alongside Yinnoly López, also in the semifinal phase.
Specifically, López, just 17 years old, finished fourth in the debut round with 49.27 seconds and then improved her performance (48.76), although she concluded in fifth place in the heat.
With three days remaining, Cuba stands at 21st place in the overall ranking, with two gold medals, one silver, and a couple of bronzes. The titles were achieved by the legendary Mijaín López in Greco-Roman wrestling and boxer Erislandy Álvarez.
FAQs about Yarisleidis Cirilo and Canoeing at Paris 2024
Here are some common questions and answers about Yarisleidis Cirilo's performance and the canoeing events at Paris 2024, which might help our readers understand the context better:
Who is Yarisleidis Cirilo?
Yarisleidis Cirilo is a Cuban canoeist and the reigning world champion in the C1-200 meters category. She is one of Cuba's top athletes competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
What was Yarisleidis Cirilo's qualifying time?
Yarisleidis Cirilo qualified for the semifinals with a time of 45.94 seconds, the second-best in the qualifying round.
Who had the best time in the qualifying round?
The best time in the qualifying round was achieved by American canoeist Nevin Harrison, with a time of 45.70 seconds.
How is Cuba performing in the overall rankings?
As of now, Cuba is 21st in the overall rankings with two gold medals, one silver, and two bronze medals.