The high jump of the beach volleyball players Jorge Luis Alayo and Noslen Díaz in the FIVB Olympic ranking reminds me of the feats of the world record holder Javier Sotomayor who, with determination and quality, raised the bar to the currently unattainable 2.45 meters.
They began to weave their story by qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Rome (in Tlaxcala 2023, Mexico, 17th place). Now they are a duo with the security of Díaz in the pass, together with the offense of Alayo, attacker and blocker, conditions that took them to 15th place in the Olympic ranking for Paris-24, with 5,456 points, in 15 tournaments validated by the FIVB, which requires 12.
Between March 24 and 21 of this month, they rose from position 25 to be included among the 17, in the classification zone, heading to the City of Light, leaving them with at least three events where they can strengthen their work. If they did not achieve the ticket to the Olympic event in this World Pro Tour circuit, they could crystallize it in the Norceca continental competition.
His two silver medals in the Recife and Saquarema Challenges, Brazil, are very meritorious, compared to the cream of the host players, such as George-Andre, fourth in the ranking (7,020) and Evandro-Arthur (10th, 5,980) , surpassing Solberg-Guto, step 18 (5,280). In these competitions Alayo led the top scorer and attack departments.
A feat was the victory (2-0) in the Elite16, in Mexico – the highest level of these tournaments – over the world champions in Rome-22, the Czechs Perusic-Schweiner, (third, 7,620), which validates the assertion that the Cubans – guided by coach Francisco Álvarez Cutiño – always collided with men placed above them on the list for Paris-24. The bronze in the Elite 16 and the fourth in the Guadalajara Challenge rounded off that jump to the 15th place.
Alayo-Díaz will play this weekend at the Xiamen Challenge, China, where they will come out first in the main draw, with 2,220 entry points. The list is headed by the Swedes Ahman-Hellvig (8,460 units), winners (2-1) at the expense of the auriverde George-Andre, in the Elite 16.
