Cuban sprinter Omara Durand is a badass on the track. This visually impaired Cuban runner won three gold medals at last year’s Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar, adding to a list of victories that already included two gold medals at the 2012 London Paralympics in 100 and 400 meters, and two more at the 2015 Toronto Parapan Am Games. There, she came in at 11.65 seconds, clocking the fastest 100 meters in female para-athlete history – and she did it in the rain.
Given that she’s the fastest female para-athlete in history, it’s not strange that Omara wants to become the first woman to compete in both the Paralympic and Olympic games. Her 11.65 time in the rain might not be in the Olympic medal range, but it is definitely better than many athletes who competed in the 100 meter race in the 2012 Olympic Games.
Her fate now lies in the hands of the Olympic Committee, who will have to decide whether they’ll allow Omara to compete. The Cuban sprinter must run with a guide in Paralympic competitions, so whether the OC decides to open one more lane for the guide or reduce the number of competitors is yet to be seen.
Unless the OC comes out with some bullshit reason (as they often do), we’ll see Durand compete in Rio this summer, leaving a positive mark on the history of the world’s leading international sporting event.