INTERVIEW: Manrique flying high in 2016

He starred the sports achievement of Cuba in 2015 after winning two medals in the World Championship. In a certain way, it eased the pain of not having shone in the Pan American Games Toronto-2015.

That is why he was named Athlete of the Year in Cuba, together with boxer Julio Cesar La Cruz. This recognition made him very happy.

“I am pretty happy. This award is not only mine, but also it belongs to my trainer. We have been together since the Central American Games. It was a very successful year and I am very happy with my medal in the World Championship. Years ago, Cuba did not even attend. I performed well at the Pan American Games as well, where I won some medals”.

What change from Toronto to Glasgow?

“The judges started to realize I could perform well when they saw me in the top three. They knew I had my chances and they seem in me perspective to become one of the top gymnasts of the world. Luckily, I could prove them right in the competition”.

How is your relation with the equipments?

The vault is still my best exercise. Nonetheless, I did not perform well in the World Cup. We are training a new jump for Rio. I have a great deal of confidence in the parallel bars and we are increasing the difficulty level there in order to reach the Olympic finals. We have been also improving our start value in the floor exercise, as well as in the ring exercise. The pommel horse remains the same. The goal is to get 14.5 or 14.7 to remain in competition in the all around. Likewise, high bar will also remain the same.

With your Olympic qualification, you open the door for your partner Randy Leroux so he can be also in Rio…

He is training right now to participate in the qualifying tournament to be held in March. I think it will not be difficult. I believe he can make it. He is the one helping me out in the parallel bars. So it would be awesome to see him competing hard!

Did you see yourself achieving the same results in Rio?

It won’t be easy at all. We have to keep pace of things and wait and see for the competition. My dream is to win a gold medal. That’s what I have been dreaming of since I began my sports career.

Cubasi Translation Staff