Javier Sotomayor visits JLN Stadium, praises India’s athletics rise

Cuban high jump legend Javier Sotomayor, the only man to clear 8 feet, visited Delhi’s JLN Stadium with Palestinian runner Mohammed Dwedar. He praised India’s athletics rise, interacted with athletes, and highlighted the importance of infrastructure for world-class performances

Hyderabad: Cuban legend Javier Sotomayor, the only man ever to clear the 8-feet barrier in high jump, graced the Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium in Delhi on Sunday, taking a look at the MONDO track and other facilities including the newly-built SAI Fitness Centre. Sotomayor’s leap of 2.45m, set in 1993 in Spain, has stood unchallenged for over 32 years.

The Cuban, who was the 1992 Olympics gold medallist, was joined by Palestinian middle-distance runner Mohammed Dwedar, who recently competed at the Tokyo World Championships.

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The duo interacted with SAI athletes and coaches, including Indian para high jumper Sharad Kumar, Indian javelin star Sachin Yadav, as well as Russian javelin coach Sergey Makarov, who currently trains the Indian javelin throwers.

Sotomayor, visiting India for the second time, praised the JLN facility. “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.”

The 58-year-old also lauded India’s rise in track and field, especially in javelin. “Indian athletes keep getting better each time. Today, at the world level, they already have very high quality in javelin throw. I hope that in the coming years they will also excel in the other disciplines of athletics,” he said.

The Cuban also mentioned that such infrastructure is crucial for producing world-class performances. “In the next 10 years, we want to have stadiums as big as this in Cuba. We now have a sense of what is required,” Sotomayor said.

Palestinian athlete Mohammed Dwedar remained hopeful to compete at the JLN Stadium someday. “It is my dream to come and compete in a place like this,” the 24-year-old said while stepping onto the track. “I’m so happy to come to India and I wish to come train here, do a lot of competitions and make national records for my country.”

Sharad Kumar, two-time Paralympics medallist, described the meeting with Sotomayor as surreal. “He is an icon for every high jumper, and I have followed him ever since I started my high jump journey. It is a privilege to meet him here in India and have a knowledge exchange.”

In a heartwarming gesture, Sharad also connected Sotomayor via FaceTime with fellow Indian high jumper Praveen Kumar, ensuring both had a chance to interact with the legend.

Sotomayor and Dwedar were part of the Ekamra Sports Literature Festival 2025 a day prior in New Delhi, as panelists for various discussions.