SHORT sprints, attacking the first hurdle, ideal pacing, technique and leg position – these are the elements in which Gabino Arzola and his decathlon disciple Leonel Suárez are immersed as they train in Havana’s Pan American Stadium, looking toward the World Championship, scheduled for August 10-18, next summer in Moscow.

After finishing fourth in the 2012 season with 8,523 points and winning a bronze medal in the London Olympics, Yordani García is now ranked number 31 with 8,061 points in Gotzis, Austria, while Leonel continues to have as his goal surpassing the top two decathlon athletes from the United States Ashton Eaton (Olympic gold medalist with 8,869 points and world record of 9,039), and Trey Hardee (silver medalist in London with 8,671).

A difference of just 100 points separates the Cuban from these two, a margin Leonel hopes to erase by extending the length of his step by half a centimeter as Arzola explained, "It’s crucial that Leonel strengthen the back of his thighs, improvement depends on that, even in terms of flexibility."

Before, during and after each weekly session, Leonel undergoes a rigorous medical examination to maintain ideal hormone and blood pressure levels. At the same time, he is working on his pole vaulting technique, hoping to reach 5.30 meters, and the discus, with a goal of getting closer to 50m. The coach and athlete expect this to result in another increment in his score, since his personal records stand at five meters and 47.32 meters, in these two events respectively.

Among the new athletes joining the team are Abdel Cadell from Havana (18 years old, 1.88 meters tall and 87 kg), Manuel González from Villa Clara (20, fifth in the Barcelona 2012 juvenile competition, 1.88m, 88 kg). Arzola commented, "The first is very explosive, his greatest strengths are in the jumps and races. That’s where work is being directed, to later strengthen his throwing and vaulting. On the other hand, Manuel needs to focus on technical aspects, reactions and coordination, both in his motion and his throwing. For sure, both have potential."