Havana, Dec 15.- Among the 10 best athletes of the year with disabilities today is Yunier Fernández, a wheelchair warrior who won the gold medal in Paris 2024, becoming the first Cuban to achieve the distinction in Paralympic table tennis.
In the heart of Guanajay, Artemisa, the child was born 42 years ago who, without knowing it, was destined to write a golden page in the history of Cuban sports.
From an early age, his restless spirit led him to explore various disciplines: baseball, judo, boxing and field tennis. However, it was table tennis that captured his passion, guided by Professor Martín, who saw exceptional qualities in him.
On the threshold of his youth, a tragic accident changed his life forever: an injury to his cervical vertebrae left him without the ability to walk, but far from giving up, he found in adapted sport a new reason to live and improve.
His career in table paratennis is a testimony of perseverance and excellence. From his international debut at the 2007 Rio de Janeiro Parapan American Games where he won a silver medal to his consecration with gold in Lima 2019, he proved to be a tireless competitor.
The fifth places achieved in the Beijing 2008 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games were just the prelude to his greatest feat.
After beating his English rival in the final of the summer event in the French capital, Yunier sighed and with a tight chest and boiling heart he finally touched the golden metal.
Frustrations and sacrifices flew like frightened doves, the notes of the national anthem broke, the gates of Olympus fell on the sand and the Warrior of Guanajay rose with his wheelchair to immortality.
Yunier Fernández is not only an outstanding athlete; It is a symbol of resilience and bravery. His life, marked by unimaginable challenges, became a personal epic where the will to win led him to transcend physical limitations and sporting limits.
With a strong and disciplined character, he has a personality that combines the strategic patience of a chess player with the ferocity of a warrior in battle. His optimism and ability to reinvent himself have made him an example of improvement for his colleagues and his community.
Despite the scars the accident left on his body, he never allowed them to affect his fighting spirit. Determined and tenacious, he understands that every victory begins with a challenge and that every fall is an opportunity to learn and get stronger.
At the gaming tables, his gaze is fixed like a hawk, observing the opponent’s every move with the precision of a strategist. But outside of them, he is warm and approachable, showing that a true warrior not only triumphs, but also inspires. (Text: Boris Luis Cabrera) (Photo: Calixto Llanes)