Mrs Maria
de la Caridad
COLÓN RUENES

Bachelor’s degree in Physical Culture; Master’s in Physical Culture Sciences

Professor of Physical Education; Deputy, Cuban Parliament (1992-1997); National Director of Physical Recreation in the Sports Ministry

Athletics; table tennis; basketball

Athletics (javelin) (1971-1992); Member of the Cuban National Team (1976-1992); Set 12 national records (1978-1984); Gold medallist at the Games of the XXII Olympiad in Moscow (1980); Central American titles: Medellin (1978), Havana (1982), Santiago (1986); Silver medal, Central American and Caribbean Games, Mexico City (1990); Pan-American titles: San Juan (1979), Caracas (1983); Pan-American silver medallist: Indianapolis (1987); World Cup, Canada 1979, 3 rd place; Universiade, Kobe, 1985, 3rd place; Pan-American Championships, Barcelona, 1983, 1 st place; Pan-American Championships, Havana, 1986, 1st place

Board member, Cuban Olympic Committee; Chair, Gender Commission (1999, 2018-)

Member of the Cuban Athletics Federation; Elected member of the IAAF Women’s Committee and the Area Committee; Member of the PASO Sports and Women Commission; President of the Women and Sport Commission of the Cuban Olympic Committee; President of the Women’s Commission of the Cuban Athletics Federation; Member of the Women's Athletics Development Commission of the Association of Pan-American Athletics (APA) (2020-)

Promotion of activities and actions for the development of children and young people, and active promoter of athletics for women and children; development of country conferences and workshops in Congresses of Physical Education and Sports in schools and universities on the Woman Sportsperson’s Role; engagement with girls and young people to promote women’s athletics; development of initiatives including Women and Sports Annual Scientific Conferences from the municipal to the national level (2000-); seminars on: leadership of women in sports, gender equity in sport, women and social development; Green Project: for a sustainable community working with children and young people on caring for the environment and nature through athletics-related activities in schools and communities; Member of the Board of the National Federation, organising and promoting activities for women in sports, their development and empowerment

One of the 100 most outstanding Cuban sports persons of the 20th century (2000); Central American and Caribbean Athletics Hall of Fame (2003); IOC Women and Sport Trophy, South America (2009)

Member of the following Commissions: Olympic Education (2022-); Culture and Olympic Heritage (2023-)