Cuba News and Information

AIN

Running in the 19th Marabana Marathon on Sunday alongside 1,500 other runners -564 of them foreign runners from 61 nations- Havana resident Aguelmis Rojas won and broke the Cuban national record.

Rojas, who obtained his fifth title in this competition, ran 21,195 kilometres for a time of 1:03.40 hours - breaking the national record set by of Angel Rodriguez.

Also giving a magnificent performance, the silver medallist of the Ibero American Half Marathon Championships in Maracaibo, Venezuela also broke his previous record in 2001 in Marabana with 1:04.10.

Other runners who joined Rojas on the podium were Norbert Jordan from Holguin with 1:06.10 and from the province of Villa Clara Yosbel Arborales at1:06.15.

From eastern Granma province Mariela Gonzalez did not face any obstacles to walk away with her ninth title with 1:17.33, followed by Yailen Garcia from Matanzas at 1:19.40, and Santiago de Cuba resident Yudisleidys Castillo with a time of 1:19.43. 

Isbel Milian from Pinar del Rio province was victorious in a tireless test of the 42,195 kilometres registered with a time of 2:37.44, followed by Havana’s Jorge Luis Mora with 2:38.20 and Emilio Pino 2:39.59.

Among the women, Aracelis Lamoth from the easternmost province of Guantanamo was triumphant with 3:31.27, followed by Germans Liame Muuschlet at 3:31.50 and Von Knobloch with 3:35.10.

Alberto Juantorena, vice president of the Cuban Sports Institute kicked off the Havana International Marathon which started from the Kid Chocolate Center in Central Havana.

The two-time Olympic Champion in Montreal told AIN News Agency that Marabana and Maracuba constitute the major festivities of the Cuban sports movement. 

Juantorena said that both activities commemorate the International Day of Physical Culture and Sports, the 35th anniversary of the Junior High School Students Federation (FEEM) and the 486th anniversary of the founding of the city of Havana.