THIRST OF VICTORY, PERU WINS TWO GOLD MEDALS IN THE SOUTH AMERICAN U18 ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP

They are not over 18 years old and they have already trimphed in the recent event held in Colombia. For Russell Cjuro and Yeferson Cuno, however, the obstacle course doesn’t end there. Domingo talked with them. She, 18 years old, Cusco, 3,399 meters above sea level. He, 18 years old, Puno, 3,827 meters above sea level. She, Medical Technology at the Andean University of Cusco. He, Physical Education at the National University of the Altiplano. Her, Russell Cjuro. He, Yeferson Cuno. The two, gold medal, 3,000 meters with obstacles, South American Athletics Sub-20, Colombia, at 2,625 m s. no. m.

Golden afternoon. The Peruvian athletics team won two gold medals in the U18 South American Athletics Championship, which takes place in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The first gold medal on Saturday’s day came thanks to Russel Cjuro from Cusco in the women’s 2000 meter hurdles event, with a time of 7.18.72., then it was the turn of Edgar Huillca from Cusco, who also won the gold medal in the men’s 2000 meter hurdles with a time of 5.58.97.

The silver medal went to Yoselin Limanche in the women’s 2000 meter hurdles with a time of 7.23.63.

LIFE, OBSTACLE COURSE

Yeferson Cuno might as well not be talking to me. Yeferson Cuno could well have left athletics. In fact, she left him. A year ago, when no one yet knew that he would succeed in Colombia, Yeferson had only been in high-performance athletics for a few months and had won a national victory. That was enough merit to qualify for the South American Cross Country in Brazil 2022.

Yeferson gets excited. But there’s a problem, he doesn’t have a passport. But there is another problem, he is a minor. A third problem: Julio Cutipa, his coach, is not authorized to process his passport. That day, the airplane seat that Yeferson Cuno should have occupied flew with a silent emptiness.

The athlete, then 17 years old, also felt empty and thought that perhaps the comments he had heard more than once were true: “It’s a waste of time”, “You better just study”, “This is not your thing ”. Yeferson returned to his native Puno, and for a few months he did not want to know anything about gold medals or international tournaments.

“You have to listen to the good comments, and the bad ones you have to let them pass.” With this phrase, Yeferson’s coach lifts his spirits and reminds him of the goals that are yet to be met. The retreat did not last long. Calmer, and after entering the university, Yeferson said to himself:

—I can’t agree with all those people who told me I was wasting my time. I have to prove otherwise.

And he demonstrated it this year, in the South American Championship in Colombia, when he overtook his opponent, the Ecuadorian Wilson Navarrete, with just 100 meters to go.

One step. Another step. Another one. A jump. Latest. Sweat. Speed. Adrenalin. Rectilinear motion uniformly varied. Victory. Or as the TikTok video would say: “he is making ‘ejuecto’ the frejolada with avocado that he has eaten”.