Yainelis Ribeaux

Who is Yainelis Ribeaux?

Yainelis Ribeaux Rustafull is a Cuban track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. She was the 2009 Central American and Caribbean Champion in the event and runner-up at the 2011 Pan American Games. She represented Cuba at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. Her personal best is 63.18 metres.

Born in Songo – La Maya, Santiago de Cuba, Ribeaux started out in the javelin throw as a teenager, clearing fifty metres for the first time in 2005 and setting a best of 55.34 m a year later. She established herself at the national level in 2009 when she improved her best by more than five metres to win at the Barrientos Memorial. Her mark of 61.72 m was enough to defeat former Olympic champion Osleidys Menéndez. She threw the javelin 63.18 m later that season and was the gold medallist at the 2009 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics ahead of perennial champion Laverne Eve. She was elected to compete at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics but did not progress beyond the qualifying round.

In 2010 she only cleared sixty metres once with her season's best of 60.88 m. She was runner-up at the Barrientos Memorial and Olimpiada del Deporte Cubano that year in Cuba, and was the representative for the Americas at the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup, where she came seventh. She won the Barrientos meet the following season and defeated Leryn Franco to win the javelin title at the 2011 ALBA Games. A throw of 62.30 m in August preceded her appearance at the 2011 Pan American Games. There she took the silver medal, ahead of national rival Yanet Cruz but behind American Alicia DeShasier.