In a radical turn from her recent history, Olympic champion and former national athletics commissioner of Cuba, Yipsi Moreno, returned to competition and showcased her excellent physical form by winning gold medals in the hammer throw and discus at the Albania Cup.
"In the meet held on May 18 at the Elbasan Arena, Moreno made her debut with the Tirane team, achieving victory in the women's hammer throw with a record of 63.94 meters; the best of the series: 63.94m/x x /61.55m/x/x/,” reported the DeporCuba page about the 43-year-old competitor.
The news portal added that "her double title, as she also excelled in the discus throw with a distance of 29.50 m, contributed to her team's crowning as champions among women with a total of 139 points, surpassing Skënderbeu, which scored 130, and Partizan with 72.5."
The news surprised both insiders and outsiders of the discipline, as the three-time world champion in hammer throw (Edmonton 2001, Paris 2003, and Helsinki 2005) had been away from competition for a decade, and her most recent involvement in the sport was as the head of athletics on the island.
A position he held for several years (2018-2022) filled with controversies; indeed, his departure left a sea of uncertainties due to his account and the information presented by the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (INDER).
The entity announced on the official JIT website the "release of Yipsi Moreno from her duties as national athletics commissioner," citing the "personal choice" of the former athlete. Meanwhile, the Beijing 2008 champion and silver medalist from Athens 2004 stated exclusively to CiberCuba that "I found out about my replacement on television."
During the conversation, he clarified that he had requested his release from the position, but was asked to remain in the role until the Central American Games, which were set to take place in El Salvador in 2023.
"And it turns out I found out about my replacement on television, surprisingly, when they had previously not accepted my release. Can you believe it?" declared the one known as the "Fury of Agramonte" to journalist Julia Osendi.
A member of the State Council and a deputy in the National Assembly of People's Power before settling in Europe, Moreno received numerous criticisms and questions for allegedly developing a network of privileges to benefit athletes close to her, while harassing others who ended up leaving athletics or emigrating, as noted at the time by the newspaper 14ymedio.
Last April, the legendary hammer thrower had already signaled her presence on the Old Continent with her family by posting several images on Facebook.
Regarding her current situation, it has also been revealed that the Albanian Athletics Federation hopes that she will soon join the national team, although the primary reason for her presence in the area is sports education.
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