Javier sotomayor

The JLN Stadium Mondo: Cuban legend Javier Sotomayor, the only person to clear the 8-foot high jump barrier, visited the Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium on Sunday. He inspected the Mondo track and other amenities, including the recently constructed SAI Fitness Centre. Sotomayor’s record jump of 2.45 meters, achieved in Spain in 1993, has remained unbroken for more than 32 years.

The Cuban, the 1992 Olympics gold medallist, was accompanied by Palestinian middle-distance runner Mohammed Dwedar, who recently participated in the Tokyo World Championships. They engaged with SAI athletes and coaches, including Indian para high jumper Sharad Kumar, Indian javelin star Sachin Yadav, and Russian javelin coach Sergey Makarov, who is currently training Indian javelin throwers.

Sotomayor, on his second visit to India, praised the JLN facility, saying, “I feel very good to be in India again and I like India a lot. The JLN Stadium Mondo track is great. It is of very good quality for achieving good results.”