14 Cubans to compete in Moscow athletics world meet

A team of 14 Cuban athletes will compete in the 14th World Athletics Championships to be held in Moscow in August.

Jorge Luis Sanchez, track and field national commissioner, said Thursday that pole vaulter Lazaro Borges, runner-up in the 2011 worlds, was the last one to qualify for the Cuban team, reports Xinhua.

Cuba has its own requirements, which are more demanding than the ones from the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF).

Among the Moscow-bound athletes is women's pole vaulter Yarisley Silva, London 2012 runner-up, who June 8 recorded the season best of 4.90 metres in the Netherlands.

Silva's result is a new record for Cuba and also for the Central American and Caribbean region.

Other notable athletes are hammer thrower Yipsi Moreno, three times world champion (Edmonton 2001, Paris 2003 and Helsinki 2005), and discus thrower Yarelis Barrios (silver in Berlin 2009 and bronze in Daegu 2011).