Zulia Calatayud

{{Short description|Cuban runner (born 1979)}} {{Infobox sportsperson | headercolor = lightblue | name = Zulia Calatayud | image = <!-- name.jpg --> | image_size = <!--Only for images narrower than 220 pixels.--> | caption = | birth_name = | full_name = Zulia Inés Calatayud Torres | nationality = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|11|09}} | birth_place = Playa, Havana | death_date = | death_place = | height = {{convert|1.69|m|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|59|kg|abbr=on}} | country = {{CUB}} | sport = Athletics | event = | show-medals = | updated = 24 June 2013 | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{flagu|Cuba}}}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championships}} {{MedalGold|2005 Helsinki|800m}} {{MedalCompetition|Pan American Games}} {{MedalGold|1999 Winnipeg|4x400m relay}} {{MedalGold|2007 Rio de Janeiro|4x400m relay}} {{MedalSilver|1999 Winnipeg|800m}} {{MedalBronze|2007 Rio de Janeiro|800m}} {{MedalCompetition|Central American and Caribbean Games}} {{MedalGold|2006 Cartagena|800m}} {{MedalBronze|2006 Cartagena|4x400m relay}} }}

'''Zulia Inés Calatayud Torres''' (born November 9, 1979, in Havana) is a Cuban runner competing mostly in the 800 metres event.

==Early career== Calatayud, who attended Havana's Manuel Permuy Sports School, got involved in athletics to help her deal with her asthma. She first gained prominence by reaching the semi-finals of the 400 m at the 1998 World Junior Championships in Annecy, France.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}} In 1999, she ran 2:00.67 to finish second at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada. She finished sixth in the 800 m at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. 2000 was also notable to Calatayud because she went under the 2-minute barrier, first doing so when she ran 1:59.63 in Jena, Germany.

In 2002, Calatayud became the 30th-fastest woman ever in her event, running 1:56.09 at the Herculis Golden League meeting, in Monaco.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/toplists/inout=o/age=n/season=0/sex=W/all=y/legal=A/disc=800/detail.html|title=IAAF Top Lists, women's 800m|publisher=IAAF|date=9 November 2010|access-date=2010-11-09}}</ref> It was to be her last competition for 19 months, as dual shin injuries kept the 22-year-old from even being able to train. She made a successful return to competition, not only qualifying for the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, but making her second consecutive Olympics final, finishing eighth.

==World domination== A consistent 2005 season prefaces Calatayud's participation in the IAAF World Championships, in Helsinki. She ran a season's best 1:57.92 in her semi-final, her second fastest ever, and In the final matched every move made by Mutola and world leader, Tatyana Andrianova. In 1:58.82, Zulia Calatayud had become a World Champion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/10th-iaaf-world-championships-in-athletics-6937596|title=10th IAAF World Championship in Athletics|publisher=World Athletics|access-date=December 10, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/history/WCH/season=2005/eventCode=3365/news/kind=100/newsid=31267.html|title=Quirot's heir|publisher=IAAF|date=August 9, 2005|access-date=December 10, 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803031231/http://www.iaaf.org/history/WCH/season=2005/eventCode=3365/news/kind=100/newsid=31267.html|archive-date=August 3, 2012}}</ref> She ended the 2005 season with a convincing victory at the World Athletics Final in Monaco. The winning streak landed her atop the IAAF World Rankings, replacing Mutola who had led since the rankings were introduced in 2001.

For the 2006 season, Calatayud picked up where she left off a few months prior. She clocked her second fastest time ever (1:56.91) when placing third at the Athletissima meeting, in Lausanne, in July. She claimed the 800 m crown at the 20th Central American and Caribbean Games, in Cartagena, Colombia, but after 51 consecutive weeks, she lost the No.1 spot in the rankings to Kenya's African and Commonwealth champion Janeth Jepkosgei. Nonetheless, Calatayud ended 2006 on a high note, winning the World Athletics Final<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/history/WAF/season=2006/eventCode=3487/news/kind=108/newsid=36158.html|title=Women's 800m|publisher=IAAF|date=September 10, 2006|access-date=December 10, 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120802081245/http://www.iaaf.org/history/WAF/season=2006/eventCode=3487/news/kind=108/newsid=36158.html|archive-date=August 2, 2012}}</ref> and World Cup on consecutive weekends, beating rival Jepkosgei on both occasions. She was selected as Cuban and Latin American sportswoman of the year in an annual survey conducted by Prensa Latina. A total of 115 media outlets from Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States participated in the survey.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cubaheadlines.com/cuba_s_zulia_calatayud_top_latin_american_female_athlete.html#ixzz14pra3dCu|title=Cubas Zulia Calatayud top Latin American female athlete|publisher=Cuba Headlines|date=December 23, 2008|access-date=December 10, 2020}}</ref>

==Injury again== In 2007, Calatayud was injured again, this time her season did not get underway until June, but after six weeks of training, she took a bronze medal at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro. She also ran the third leg as the Cuban team won the 4 × 400 m relay gold with Daimí Pernía, Aymée Martínez and Indira Terrero.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.athletics.ca/display_news.asp?newsid=358|title=Dylan Armstrong and Diane Cummins win gold at Pan Am Games|publisher=Athletics Canada|date=July 24, 2007|access-date=December 10, 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706165308/http://www.athletics.ca/display_news.asp?newsid=358|archive-date=July 6, 2011}}</ref> Since 2006, Calatayud has not made a major world final, falling in the semifinals at the World World Championships in Osaka 2007 and Berlin 2009, as well as the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. In 2009, Calatayud won the 800 at the 22nd Central American and Caribbean Athletics Championships in Havana, Cuba, in the Estadio Panamericano.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sknaaa.com/press2.asp?PressID%3D251 |title=Culson prevails over Sanchez as six more records fall – CAC Champs Final Day |access-date=November 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716082345/http://www.sknaaa.com/press2.asp?PressID=251 |archive-date=July 16, 2011 }}</ref>

==Personal bests== *200 Metres – 24.33 01/01/1998 *400 metres 50.87 (Alcalá de Henares 30/06/2001) *800 metres – 1:56.09 (Monaco 19/07/2002) *1000 metres – 2:34.31 (Bruxelles 30/08/2002) *1500 metres – 4:21.73 (La Habana 23/03/2006)

==Achievements== {| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes|class=wikitable style="text-align:center; font-size: 90%;}} |- !colspan="6"|Representing {{CUB}} |- |1998 |World Junior Championships |Annecy, France |10th (sf) |400 m |53.65 s |- |rowspan=4|1999 |rowspan=2|Pan American Games |rowspan=2|Winnipeg, Canada |bgcolor="silver"|2nd |800 m |2:00.67 min |- |bgcolor="gold"|1st |4 × 400 m relay |3:26.70 min |- |rowspan=2|World Championships |rowspan=2|Sevilla, Spain |19th (h) |800 m |2:00.93 min |- |7th |4 × 400 m relay |3:29.19 min |- |rowspan=2|2000 |rowspan=2|Olympic Games |rowspan=2|Sydney, Australia |6th |800 m |1:58.66 min |- |8th |4 × 400 m relay |3:29.47 min |- |rowspan=3|2001 |World Championships |Edmonton, Canada |5th (sf) |800 m |2:01.04 min |- |Goodwill Games |Brisbane, Australia |4th |800 m |2:00.94 min |- |Grand Prix Final |Melbourne, Australia |4th |800 m |2:00.89 min |- |2002 |IAAF World Cup |Madrid, Spain |4th |800 m |1:59.44 min |- |rowspan=2|2004 |Ibero-American Championships |Huelva, Spain |bgcolor="gold" | 1st |800 m |2:01.30 min |- |Olympic Games |Athens, Greece |8th |800 m |2:00.95 min |- |rowspan=2|2005 |World Championships |Helsinki, Finland |bgcolor=gold|1st |800 m |1:58.82 min |- |World Athletics Final |Monaco |bgcolor="gold" | 1st |800 m |1:59.07 min |- |rowspan=4|2006 |rowspan=2|Central American and Caribbean Games |rowspan=2|Cartagena, Colombia |bgcolor="gold" | 1st |800 m |2:05.26 min |- |bgcolor="cc9966" | 3rd |4 × 400 m relay |3:36.34 min |- |World Athletics Final |Stuttgart, Germany |bgcolor="gold" | 1st |800 m |1:59.02 |- |IAAF World Cup |Athens, Greece |bgcolor="gold" | 1st |800 m |2:00.06 min |- |rowspan=4|2007 |rowspan=2|Pan American Games |rowspan=2|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |800 m |2:00.34 min |- |bgcolor=gold|1st |4 × 400 m relay |3:27.51 min |- |rowspan=2|World Championships |rowspan=2|Osaka, Japan |24th (sf) |800 m |2:06.97 min |- |7th |4 × 400 m relay |3:27.05 min |- |rowspan=2|2008 |rowspan=2|Olympic Games |rowspan=2|Beijing, China |10th (sf) |800 m |1:58.78 |- |6th |4 × 400 m relay |3:23.21 min '''NR''' |- |rowspan=5|2009 |rowspan=2|ALBA Games |rowspan=2|Havana, Cuba |bgcolor=gold|1st |800 m |2:05.58 min |- |bgcolor=gold|1st |4 × 400 m relay |3:35.04 min |- |Central American and Caribbean Championships |Havana, Cuba |bgcolor=gold|1st |800 m |2:01.63 min |- |rowspan=2|World Championships |rowspan=2|Berlin, Germany |16th (sf) |800 m |2:01.53 min |- |8th |4 × 400 m relay |3:36.99 min |}

==800 m progression== {| class="wikitable" |2009 |2:00.20 |Huelva |10/06/2009 |- |2008 |1:58.78 |Beijing (National Stadium) |16/08/2008 |- |2007 |2:00.34 |Rio de Janeiro |24/07/2007 |- |2006 |1:56.91 |Lausanne |11/07/2006 |- |2005 |1:57.92 |Helsinki |07/08/2005 |- |2004 |1:59.21 |Athens (Olympic Stadium) |21/08/2004 |- |2002 |1:56.09 |Monaco |19/07/2002 |- |2001 |1:58.60 |Monaco |20/07/2001 |- |2000 |1:58.66 |Sydney |25/09/2000 |- |1999 |2:00.67 |Winnipeg |25/07/1999 |- |1997 |2:12.7 | |01/01/1997 |- |1996 |2:13.80 | |01/01/1996 |- |1995 |2:18.9 | |01/01/1995 |}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * {{World Athletics}} * {{Olympedia}} * {{Olympics.com profile|zulia-calatayud}}

{{Footer World Champions 800 m Women}} {{Footer IAAF World Cup Champions 800m Women}} {{Footer Pan American Champions 4x400m Women}} {{Footer CAC Champions 800 m Women}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Calatayud, Zulia}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:Cuban women middle-distance runners Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1999 Pan American Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2007 Pan American Games Category:Olympic athletes for Cuba Category:Athletes from Havana Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for Cuba Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for Cuba Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for Cuba Category:Pan American Games gold medalists in athletics (track and field) Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists in athletics (track and field) Category:Pan American Games silver medalists in athletics (track and field) Category:World Athletics Championships medalists Category:Goodwill Games medalists in athletics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Cuba Category:Central American and Caribbean Games gold medalists for Cuba Category:Central American and Caribbean Games bronze medalists for Cuba Category:World Athletics Championships winners Category:Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in athletics Category:Competitors at the 2001 Goodwill Games Category:Medalists at the 1999 Pan American Games Category:Medalists at the 2007 Pan American Games Category:Cuban Athletics Championships winners