Press releases highlight this Thursday that the selection includes athletes, trainers and officials from the sport’s Cuban Federation.

Inductee Riveri, 80, was selected because of his work as personal trainer of Cuban discus throwers, including Maritza Martén and Luis Mariano Delís, gold and bronze Olympic medallists in Barcelona 1992 and Moscow 1980, respectively.

Meanwhile, Peñalver raced the 100, 200 and 400 meters and won several medals at world events and he is considered one of the best racers Cuba has ever had.

Jose Godoy was selected post-mortem because of having been the founder of the Cuban school of high jump, with a remarkable job done, especially with Javier Sotomayor, whom he trained for 10 years.

Sotomayor is the current world record holder outdoors (2.45 meters high) and indoors (2.43).The same reason was taken into account to induct Blas Beato, who trained Cuban women in 400 and 800 meter distances, including Olympic medallists Aurelia Pentón and Ana Fidelia Quirot.

Among the Cubans already in the Hall of Fame are Sotomayor, Martén and Quirot, along other stars like sprinter Enrique Figuerola, Moscow Olympic champion and then-world record holder in javelin Maria Caridad Colon, and 400-800 meter Montreal Olympic champion Alberto Juantorena.