New Delhi, Nov 23 (NationPress) The iconic Cuban high jumper Javier Sotomayor, famous for being the sole athlete to surpass the 8-foot high jump milestone, made a visit to the Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium on Sunday. He took a look at the Mondo track and other facilities, including the newly built SAI Fitness Centre. Sotomayor’s remarkable jump of 2.45 meters in Spain during 1993 has stood unchallenged for over 32 years.

Accompanying him was Palestinian middle-distance runner Mohammed Dwedar, who recently competed at the Tokyo World Championships. Together, they interacted with SAI athletes and coaches, such as Indian para high jumper Sharad Kumar, Indian javelin star Sachin Yadav, and Russian javelin coach Sergey Makarov, who is currently training Indian javelin throwers.

On his second trip to India, Sotomayor expressed admiration for the JLN facility, stating, “I feel very good to be in India again and I like India a lot. The JLN Stadium Mondo track is fantastic. It is of excellent quality for achieving great results.”

The 58-year-old also acknowledged India’s advancements in track and field, especially in javelin, saying, “Indian athletes are improving continuously. Today, they exhibit very high-quality performances in javelin throw. I am optimistic that in the coming years they will also shine in other athletics disciplines.”

Sotomayor emphasized that such infrastructure is crucial for achieving world-class performances: “In the next decade, we aspire to have stadiums as impressive as this in Cuba. We now understand what is necessary,” he remarked.

Palestinian athlete Dwedar expressed his aspiration to compete at the JLN Stadium someday. “It is my dream to compete in a venue like this. I am thrilled to visit India and wish to train here, participate in numerous competitions, and set national records for my country,” shared the 24-year-old as he stepped onto the track.

Sharad Kumar, a two-time Paralympic medalist, described meeting Sotomayor as surreal: “He is a legend for every high jumper, and I have admired him since I began my high jump journey. Meeting him here in India is a privilege that offers a chance for knowledge exchange,” he noted.

In a heartwarming moment, Sharad facilitated a FaceTime call for Sotomayor with fellow Indian high jumper Praveen Kumar, allowing both to connect with the high jump legend.

Sotomayor and Dwedar were part of a panel at the Ekamra Sports Literature Festival 2025 in New Delhi the previous day, engaging in various insightful discussions.