New mother Castillo targets further medal success

“Anrune ran the 400m so well that I thought I should try to follow her rhythm. In the end, I felt really well and, 150 metres from the finish line, I sped up and won. I threw myself to the ground, exhausted but so happy. I could not believe it. I enjoyed that a lot.”

Cuba’s multiple Paralympic champion and world record holder Yunidis Castillo is thoroughly enjoying her new role as mother to her young son Gabriel – but retirement is far from her mind as she sets her sights on August’s Parapan American Games in Toronto, Canada.

The 28-year-old is determined to return to the sort of form that saw her dominate the T46 class in recent years, winning no fewer than eight gold medals from three World Championships; although she believes competing at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games may be the perfect ending to her fruitful career.

“I want to have a World Championships or a Paralympic Games as the last event in my career. However, I still feel motivated to continue training and competing,” she admitted.

Castillo competed at June’s IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Grosetto, Italy, where she clocked 27.40 in the 200m T46 and climbed onto the top step of the podium. It was her first competitive event of the year having only returned to training in early 2015 after the birth of her first child.

“My objective was to qualify for the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games and I did so,” she said. “I did not think of establishing a new world record because I have been training for only three months, after giving birth to Gabriel,” the five-time Paralympic champion explained.

In spite of the fact that she did not train for some months, Castillo is confident she will be in even better shape in time for August’s Parapan American Games and then October’s IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar. “There is still a long time to train and get well prepared,” she said.

The triple world champion remains highly motivated, although she has already accomplished what many athletes can only dream of achieving. “I love what I do, demanding myself more, improving every day and setting new targets. I am not someone who feels satisfied easily,” she said.

However, not claiming the gold medal at this year’s major para-athletics events would not make her feel disappointed, she admitted. “There are young sprinters that are improving fast and have good preparation. I understand that losing is inherent in every sporting competition,” she said.

“I would not like that, of course. But it would not affect me, either. On the contrary, it would motivate me even more to improve myself,” she added.

South Africa’s world and Paralympic silver medallist Anrune Liebenberg is one of her most talented rivals and a clear threat to Castillo’s recent dominance of the T46 class, having won at the Grand Prix in Brazil to go top of the global rankings in the 100m, 200m and 400m T46 this year.

“Anrune is very good at running the 400m, which I especially do not like very much,” the Cuban sprinter said. “Nevertheless, my coach Miriam likes the way I run it, so I do it. But I prefer pure speed.”

“I always remember the 400m race at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. I did not know how I was going to run after competing in the 100m and 200m events. I thought I was going to lack oxygen.”

“Anrune ran the 400m so well that I thought I should try to follow her rhythm. In the end, I felt really well and, 150 metres from the finish line, I sped up and won. I threw myself to the ground, exhausted but so happy. I could not believe it. I enjoyed that a lot.”

Now, Castillo is trying to focus on her next major competitions, in Toronto and Doha, while also spending as much time as possible with her young son. And, with the Paralympic Games just one year away, she does not stop dreaming. “Rio 2016 may be the perfect event to end my career on a high note,” she said.

The Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games will take place between 7-15 August, whilst the World Championships in Doha are scheduled for 22-31 October.