YARELIS Barrios has always mustered more than enough courage in the big competitive moments of her career, gaining herself a spot on the medal podium in World athletics competitions since 2007, despite not having set new personal records.

She is the first to acknowledge that throwing the disc farther will enhance her chances in any meet and, above all, will be necessary if she hopes to become an Olympic champion.

To her great personal satisfaction, and adding fuel to the rumors that her chances of winning a title in London are good, the strong Pinar del Río native, runner-up in Beijing ’08, shook up the Cuba Athletics Cup competition, recently concluded in Havana, with a throw of 67.90 meters, one and a half meters farther than the 66.40 which won her a second place finish in the Guadalajara Pan Americans in October, 2011.

The throw made by the three-time World medalist is especially significant given that no other athlete has done as well over the last seven years. It was a fitting response to German Nadine Muller, who won the World championship in Daegu, South Korea and just recently, March 18, made her best throw this year of 68.89 meters.

There are 44 female disc-throwers all-time who have thrown for more than 68 meters, including five Cuban women, but there is only one who has surpassed Muller and Barrios this century. This is Irina Yatchenko (BLR) with a 69.14 meter throw in 2004, whose greatest accomplishment was winning the Paris World Championship of 2003. In Beijing 2008, she came in number 11 and has not competed since 2009, 44 years of age at that time.