Robles and Savigne to lead Cuban athletics team in Beijing

(BEIJING, July 24) -- The Federacion Cubana de Atletismo(FCA) has announced the 47 athletes who will be competing for the Cuban athletics team during the 29th Olympic Games on July 23, 2008.

Of these athletes, World 110m hurdles record holder Dayron Robles and World Triple Jump Champion Yargelis Savigne have been selected as team leaders.

Robles, who broke the world 110m hurdles record by clocking 12.87 seconds at the IAAF Grand Prix meet, will face off against Olympic defending champion Liu Xiang in the same event at the Bird's Nest on August 21.

After completing the event in a time of 12.88 seconds in Paris last week, Robles became the first man in the world to run in under 12.90 seconds on consecutive occasions

Savigne's selection as team leader came as no surprise, after a successful season saw her crowned World Triple Jump Champion, and setting a new personal best of 15.28 at the World Championships in Osaka in 2007.

Former Olympian Anier Garcia has dropped out of the games after failing to achieve the A qualifying standard, whilst two-time Olympian Yoel Hernandez Reyes was forced out of competition with an injury.

The Cuban Men's Athletics team includes Henry Vizcaino in 100m, William Collazo in 400m, Yeimar Lopez and Andy Gonzalez in 800m, Dayron Robles in 110m hurdles, Lazaro Borges in Pole Vault, Ibrahin Camejo and Wilfredo Martinez in Long Jump, Alexis Copello, Hector Dairon Fuentes, Arnie David Giralt and Osniel Tosca in Triple Jump, Carlos Veliz, Alexis Paumier and Reinaldo Proenza in Shot Put, Jorge Fernandez in Discus Throw, Anier Boue in Javelin Throw, Leonel Suarez, Yordani Garcia and Yunior Diaz in Decathlon, and Yeimer Lopez, William Collazo, Omar Cisneros, Yunier Perez, Yasmani Copello and Yunior Diaz in the 4×400m relay.

The women competing include, Virgen Benavides in 100m, Roxana Diaz in 200m, Indira Terrero in 400m, Zulia Calatayud in 800m, Anay Tejeda and Yenima Arencibia in 100m Hurdles, Yarisley Silva in Pole Vault, Yargelis Savigne in Long Jump, Yargelis Savigne, Mabel Gay and Yumileidi Cumba in Triple Jump, Misleydis Gonzalez, Mailin Vargas and Yumileidi Cumba in Shot Put, Yarelis Barrios and Yania Ferrales in Discus Throw, Yipsi Moremo, Arasay Thondike and Yunaika Crawford in Hammer Throw, Osleidys Menendez and Yanet Cruz in Javenlin Throw, Gretchen Quintana in Heptathlon, and Indira Terrero, Roxana Diaz, Diosmely Pena, Susana Clement, Daysurami Bonne and Aymee Martinez in the 4×400m relay.