Victor Lopez, president of the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Track and Field Association, “expressed condolences” to former Cuban athlete Dr Pedro Pérez Dueña.
Below is president Lopez’s statement
On behalf of the Americas Hemisphere which I am honoured to preside, we would
like to express our most sincere condolences for the death of our dear brother
and Cuban hero of the World Athletics, Dr Pedro Pérez Dueña.
Pérez Dueña was the first Cuban athlete to start the dynasty and great tradition of
triple jump in our dear sister island, the Republic of Cuba, which still does not have
a comparable performance in the World of Track and Field.
Pedro established a new world record in Triple Jump at the 1971 Pan American
Games held in Cali, Colombia. This performance set an example for future
generations and today Cuba is still the number one country in the production of the
best triple jumpers year after year.
A sincere and wonderful friend who dedicated his whole life to Athletics, first as an
athlete and later on as the Medical doctor of the Cuban National Athletics
Delegations.
Dear Brother, we will miss you and will always remember you as the great
champion you were both inside the track and in our world.
May you rest in peace (RIP).
Víctor López