My hero: Dayron Robles on Anier Garcia
In the first of our new series, Olympic 110m hurdles champion and world record holder Dayron Robles waxes lyrical about his fellow Cuban the 2000 Olympic sprint hurdle gold medallist Anier Garcia.
"I had lots of heroes such as Alberto Junatorena, Ana Quirot, Javier Sotomayor and Allen Johnson when as I was growing but Anier Garcia became a big hero of mine.
"He was a role model for me because we share the same coach, Santiago Antunez, and it was a natural thing for me to model myself on him.
"He was a big star for me. I was shocked when he first met him and shook his hand in 2002 at the Olympic Stadium in Cuba as a young kid.
"It was a thrill of a lifetime for me to meet him and he said he didn’t want me to be like him, but better than him. I will never forget that first meeting with Anier. I will always remember those first words with him.
"I remember Anier winning a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Games when no one expected him to make it.
"For him to get there and win a medal shows what kind of athlete he is. He was a warrior and he knew how to raise his level in top competitions.
"It is a talent that few athletes possess and why so many athletes think so highly of him. He rose to the occasion whenever he was called upon.
I hope to have that same warrior spirit."