Yumileidi Cumbá

3.1. Junior and Early International Competitions

Cumbá Jay began her international career in the early 1990s, quickly establishing herself as a promising talent in the shot put and discus throw. Her first notable international appearances include:

• At the Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U-17) held in Havana, Cuba, she secured a gold medal in the discus throw with 128 ft ^{(38.96 m)} and a silver medal in the shot put with 48 ft ^{(14.54 m)}.
• She competed at the World Junior Championships in Seoul, South Korea, finishing fourth in the shot put with a throw of 56 ft ^{(17.06 m)}.
• In 1993, at the Pan American Junior Championships in Winnipeg, Canada, she earned a gold medal in the shot put with 58 ft ^{(17.55 m)} and placed fifth in the discus throw with 141 ft ^{(42.84 m)}. The same year, she won a silver medal in the shot put at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Ponce, Puerto Rico, with a throw of 58 ft ^{(17.67 m)}.
• At the World Junior Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, she claimed another silver medal in the shot put with 59 ft ^{(18.09 m)}.
• In 1995, she made her debut at the Pan American Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina, winning a bronze medal with a throw of 61 ft ^{(18.47 m)}. She also competed at the World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, finishing 20th with 52 ft ^{(15.8 m)}.

3.2. Senior International Competitions and Achievements

Yumileidi Cumbá Jay consistently performed at a high level in major international competitions throughout her senior career, collecting numerous medals and top finishes.

• She participated in her first Olympic Games in Atlanta, United States, where she finished 13th in the shot put qualification round with 61 ft ^{(18.55 m)}.
• In 1998, she won gold at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Maracaibo, Venezuela, with 62 ft ^{(18.89 m)}, and placed fourth at the World Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa, with 62 ft ^{(18.76 m)} representing the Americas.
• The year 1999 was particularly active, seeing her finish sixth at the World Indoor Championships in Maebashi, Japan, with 58 ft ^{(17.8 m)}. She won a silver medal at the Universiade in Palma, Spain, with 61 ft ^{(18.7 m)}, and another silver at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada, with 61 ft ^{(18.67 m)}. She also finished sixth at the World Championships in Seville, Spain, with 60 ft ^{(18.44 m)}.
• At the 2000 Sydney Olympics in Sydney, Australia, she improved to a sixth-place finish with a throw of 61 ft ^{(18.7 m)}.
• In 2001, Cumbá Jay continued her strong performances, finishing fifth at the World Indoor Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, with 61 ft ^{(18.61 m)}, and eighth at the World Championships in Edmonton, Canada, with 61 ft ^{(18.73 m)}. She claimed a gold medal at the Universiade in Beijing, China, with 62 ft ^{(18.9 m)}, and a silver at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia, with 60 ft ^{(18.41 m)}.
• In 2002, she won gold at the Ibero-American Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala, with 62 ft ^{(18.87 m)}, and a silver medal at the World Cup in Madrid, Spain, with 63 ft ^{(19.14 m)}.
• Her 2003 season included a sixth-place finish at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, England, with 63 ft ^{(19.19 m)}, and a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with 63 ft ^{(19.31 m)}. She placed 13th in the qualification round at the World Championships in Paris, France, with 59 ft ^{(17.95 m)}.
• In 2004, prior to the Olympics, she secured a silver medal at the World Indoor Championships in Budapest, Hungary, with 63 ft ^{(19.31 m)}, and a gold medal at the Ibero-American Championships in Huelva, Spain, achieving her personal best throw of 66 ft ^{(19.97 m)}.
• Following her Olympic triumph, Cumbá Jay continued to compete at a high level. In 2005, she won gold at the Central American and Caribbean Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, with 62 ft ^{(18.98 m)}, and finished fourth at the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, with 61 ft ^{(18.64 m)}. She was seventh at the World Athletics Final in Monte Carlo, Monaco, with 60 ft ^{(18.44 m)}.
• Her 2006 season saw her finish fifth at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow, Russia, with 60 ft ^{(18.28 m)}. She won gold at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena, Colombia, with 63 ft ^{(19.31 m)}. She placed fourth at the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany, with 62 ft ^{(18.78 m)}, and earned a bronze medal at the World Cup in Athens, Greece, with 63 ft ^{(19.12 m)}.
• In 2007, she won gold at the ALBA Games in Caracas, Venezuela, with 60 ft ^{(18.24 m)}, and a silver medal at the Pan American Games in Rio, Brazil, with 60 ft ^{(18.28 m)}. She finished 12th at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, with 59 ft ^{(17.93 m)}.
• Her final Olympic appearance was at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Beijing, China, where she placed 20th in the qualification round with 58 ft ^{(17.6 m)}. She also won a silver medal at the Central American and Caribbean Championships in Cali, Colombia, with 59 ft ^{(18.1 m)}.

3.3. 2004 Athens Olympics Gold Medal

The women's shot put event at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, was a pivotal moment in Yumileidi Cumbá Jay's career. She initially finished in the silver medal position with a throw of 64 ft ^{(19.59 m)}. However, the outcome of the competition was significantly altered due to a subsequent doping violation.

The original gold medalist, Irina Korzhanenko of Russia, who had achieved a throw of 69 ft ^{(21.06 m)}, tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol. Following the positive result, Korzhanenko was swiftly disqualified from the competition, and her gold medal was revoked. In accordance with the principles of fair play and anti-doping regulations, Yumileidi Cumbá Jay was subsequently upgraded to the gold medal position. This official reallocation of the medal recognized Cumbá Jay's legitimate achievement and highlighted the commitment of international sports authorities to uphold the integrity of the Olympic Games. Her gold medal became a testament to her perseverance and the importance of clean competition in athletics.

3.4. Personal Bests

Yumileidi Cumbá Jay's personal best throws in the shot put demonstrate her peak performance capabilities:

• Outdoor: 66 ft ^{(19.97 m)}, achieved on August 8, 2004, at the Ibero-American Championships in Huelva, Spain.
• Indoor: 63 ft ^{(19.31 m)}, achieved on March 5, 2004, at the World Indoor Championships in Budapest, Hungary.