ANA FIDELIA QUIROT

Sport star profile

Ana F. Quirot joined the national athletics team in 1983. From then on and, especially in the '80s, she had begun winning national and international awards. Olympic and World champion and became the World Cup Champion for both the 400m and 800m races.

Beginning in 1993 she suffered a terrible domestic accident where more than 50% of her body was burnt. Many people thought that bad fate was putting an end to her glory, but it was not so. Thanks to the advances of Cuban health care and to the mastery of sports doctors, her life could be saved. Still not completely cured she started training again and a few months later she amazingly returned to the tracks. She went on to win the Silver Medal in the Central American Games. In 1995 in Switzerland she won the World Championship for the 800m race. In the Atlanta Olympic Games she attained a Silver medal. President Chief Fidel Castro commended her when he said "... we saw in it the culmination of a heroic battle that lasted years. That is why, when a journalist asked me, I said she did not a win a gold medal, but she won a diamond medal". On that very day President Fidel Castro awarded the Medal of Dignity to Ana Fidelia.

At the World Championship in Athens in 1997 this wonderful athlete went on to retain her title.

Such discipline and tenacity has won her the love and admiration of the Cuban people, who trust her and know that she will always reach her goals with her best smile.

A truly tremendous athlete and an example for any aspiring runner. Bravo Ana!