Cuban Paralympic champion Omara Durand is currently in recovery after suffering an injury during the recent parathletics event in Dubai, where she won medals in the 100, 200, and 400 meters.
According to her doctor, Eduardo León Valdés, a specialist on the national para-athletics team, the athlete was diagnosed with two grade two tears of the rectus femoris in her left leg, reports JIT on its website.
The athlete received cellular therapy treatment (known as stem cell infiltration) last Wednesday, and starting this Monday, she began the rehabilitation phase.
Other treatments the athlete will receive include hyperbaric oxygen therapy and physiotherapy, with 25 percent support for the injured leg.
Regarding her recovery, Dr. León Valdés stated that "not all bodies respond similarly, and based on a previous experience with Omara, she may be able to start jogging lightly in two and a half weeks." This brings some hope that the athlete will return to the tracks soon and begin her training for the 2020 Paralympic Games in January.
Previously, the same sports site had spoken with the athlete, who turned 28 on Tuesday, November 26, and confirmed what the medical specialists had stated. She is eager to recover and return to training.
The athlete from Santiago has recounted her beginnings in para-athletics. "Since I was a child, I have suffered from congenital cataract, a degenerative condition," she states, recalling 2005 when she won first place in the 400 meters at a national event for individuals with disabilities.
"I enjoyed sports, especially volleyball when I watched those great teams from Cuba. I also practiced a bit of rhythmic gymnastics, and then Professor Reinaldo Cascaret noticed me in Physical Education classes and recruited me for athletics," he says.
Durand holds the world records for the 100 meters (11.40 seconds), 200 meters (23.03), and 400 meters (51.77). She could become the Cuban with the most titles in the Paralympic Games if she exceeds her performance in Tokyo 2020.
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