Yipsi Moreno, though she remains active, has already written her name on the list of most famous hammer throw specialist in history. She is an authority concerning consistency and stability at the highest level. Within her extensive career you can find two gold and two silver medals in the same number of World Championships. She added to that harvest two Olympic subtitles (Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008), in four Games. While it is true that the history of this discipline is young (it wasn’t included in the Olympics until Sydney 2000) this doesn’t diminish Yipsi, the only woman who has been finalist in all her participations in Olympics.
This respectable Cuban tells us about London 2012 and the sixth place she achieved there, and her projections for 2013, the season she designed to close her career. A woman I have the pleasure of knowing and I can proudly say that-without the slightest compromise on her exceptional athlete quality she is in addition a better person.
Sixth place in London, can you reproach yourself?
No, not at all. I have no complaints about London, it was really good. I see it that way considering the ordeals I went through to get there. I competed aware that I was not fully able to fight for my dream. To get it there, I had to fight with everything and that also meant to throw over 78 meters and I was carrying an ancient injury. I managed to recover from my back problems only two weeks before the Olympics, I organized myself a little and I reached 74 meters, a result that pleased me.
I was a finalist and that is a great result but beyond what it means at a personal level, I’m happy because the Cuban people are satisfied. Everyone appreciated my effort and I fill fulfilled with those feelings.
What do you think has caused such an improvement worldwide in your discipline?
I think it is due to the presence of many young figures and the perfection that has been achieved in practice. Since this is a long-lived event, where the best results begin to come with the accumulated experience, I think we can expect results to grow with the development of the athletes. We will have to think of 80 meters or more. Now any competition becomes interesting and right now, the hammer throw is one of the events that ranks among the best of athletics according to the competitiveness of the girls who are in the elite.
What do you think about doping?
I’ve always rejected that; I believe the punishing measures should be much stronger than they are today. The athletes using banned substances should be punished more severely, they even deserve to be suspended for life the first time the violation is detected. I defend the point that the Anti-Doping Agency has often been flexible with such situations and thereby it only contributes to athletes losing the fear of doing what is forbidden.
On the controversial throw of Heidler in the final. Do you have any previous reference of an incident of this type?
It is the first time I see something like that in a top level competition. And I can say that it really struck me because it was not the only time it happened in London. It happened twice in the qualification stage. I think the Olympics organizers missed some details and in the end, somehow this tarnished the competition.
How is the beginning of your preparation?
I’m fine; I am calm but progressing according to my objectives. In my last, and I repeat, this is my last year, I want to make a good preparation but calmly to try that ancient injuries (linked to an old herniated disc) not to appear again and allow me to compete in a decent way in the World Championship.
2013 is your final year?
Yes, yes, no doubt. Moscow World Championship is my endpoint.
What’s with the change?
I think (laughs) that continuity is guaranteed. There are many young talented women who are eager to work, and that is very important. There are good prospects that just need to wait for "curdling", which I hope to happen soon because there are some like Vichy ( Ariannis Vichy) who already has international experience.
The name Eladio Hernandez invites us to reflex. Do you have something to add about his influence on your life?
Eladio is my father, my coach, my friend. He has been my guide for many years and deserves every bit of credit for all we have achieved together.
Author
Lilian Cid
