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Cuban hurdler and Beijing Olympic champ Dayron Robles returns to the tracks

(Xinhua)    09:55, May 27, 2017

Cuban hurdler Dayron Robles (file photo)

HAVANA, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Cuban hurdler and Beijing 2008 Olympic champion, Dayron Robles, on Friday began his return to professional athletics after years of injuries in an attempt to participate in this year's World Championships in London.

Robles came in second place of the 110 meters hurdles race of the Barrientos Memorial, Cuba's most important track and field competition which this year not only involved local participants but also from neighboring nations, including the United States.

The Olympic champ finished the race with a time of 13.66 seconds, shy of the mark requested by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) of 13.48 seconds to participate in the world tournament.

"This is an important step for me. People in Cuba are used to seeing me win a race or run at top speed but for me being here is a pleasure and this is just the start of what could be a new beginning," said Robles to reporters after the competition.

The 30-year-old Caribbean hurdler was injured last year while training to return to the Cuban squad and qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The race was won by Roger Valentin, one of Cuba's most talented runners who qualified for the IAAF World Championship with a time of 13.39 seconds. Another top Cuban runner, Yordan O' Farril was disqualified before beginning the competition.

"I'm very happy to compete in Cuba after many years of not running here and I'm also very happy with what was achieved today," he added.

Robles said his main rivals after winning the Olympic gold in Beijing nine years ago haven't been other runners but rather nagging injuries.

"My teammates are very talented and I'm just coming back and doing the marks that my trainer is requesting me to do. We're moving on, this is just starting for me," he said.

The former world record holder of the 110 meters race said his goal after this event is to attend several competitions abroad in order to obtain a spot in the Cuban team for the London World Championship.

After the 2012 London Olympics, Robles requested to be taken off the Cuban team and left for Europe where he competed for independent clubs until he decided to return to the island in 2015.

(For the latest China news, Please follow People's Daily on Twitter and Facebook)(Web editor: Hu Ximeng, Bianji)

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