# Rose Mary Almanza

Rose Mary Almanza Blanco (born 13 July 1992) is a Cuban middle-distance runner who competes in the 800 metres. She represented Cuba at the Pan American Games in 2011, 2015, 2019 and won medals at the Ibero-American and Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics.She was world champion in the 4x400 meter relay in Silesia 2021

## Career

Almanza ran internationally from a young age, coming fourth at the 2009 World Youth Championships in Athletics before taking the 800 m title at the Pan American Junior Championships. She won at the Barrientos Memorial in March 2010 and followed this with a personal best of 2:03.03 to take the silver medal at the 2010 Ibero-American Championships in Athletics. She ran a national junior record of 2:02.04 in Havana in July and came fourth at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics.
In 2011, she improved her record further to 2:00.56 and won her first senior regional medal at the 2011 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics, placing second in the 800 m behind Gabriela Medina. She came close to a medal at the 2011 Pan American Games, but was edged into fourth place in the final.
She began 2012 in strong form, taking silver medals in the 800 m and 4×400 metres relay at the Ibero-American Championships. A run of 1:59.55 in Havana was enough to gain her a place on the Cuban squad for the 2012 London Olympics.
Almanza continued to perform at a high level in subsequent years. She set a 1:57.70 personal best in 2015, participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics and won the 800m title in the 2017 Summer Universiade.
By June 2021, Almanza had returned to career-best form in the 800m, running another personal best and world-leading time of 1:56.42 in Ordizia, Spain.

## Personal bests

| Event | Result | Venue | Date |
| 800 m | 1:56.28 | Stockholm | 4 July 2021 |
| 800 m indoor | 2:04.18 | Eaubonne | 9 February 2016 |
| 1500 m | 4:14.53 | La Habana | 9 Oct 2014 |

## International competitions

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| Representing Cuba ||||||
| 2009 | ALBA Games | La Habana, Cuba | 4th | 1500 m | 4:30.20 |
| 2009 | World Youth Championships | Bressanone, Italy | 4th | 800 m | 2:04.31 |
| 2009 | Pan American Junior Championships | Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | 1st | 800 m | 2:03.83 |
| 2010 | Ibero-American Championships | San Fernando, Spain | 2nd | 800m | 2:03.03 |
| 2010 | World Junior Championships | Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada | 4th | 800 m | 2:02.67 |
| 2011 | Central American and Caribbean Championships | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | 2nd | 800m | 2:02.23 |
| 2011 | Pan American Games | Guadalajara, México | 4th | 800m | 2:04.82 A |
| 2012 | Ibero-American Championships | Barquisimeto, Venezuela | 2nd | 800 m | 2:03.29 |
| 2012 | Ibero-American Championships | Barquisimeto, Venezuela | 2nd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:29.13 |
| 2012 | Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | 6th (sf) | 800 m | 2:01.70 |
| 2013 | Central American and Caribbean Championships | Morelia, México | 3rd | 800m | 2:03.10 A |
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | 11th (sf) | 800 m | 2:00.98 |
| 2014 | Pan American Sports Festival | Mexico City, Mexico | 1st | 800 m | 2:03.56 A |
| 2014 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Xalapa, Mexico | 1st | 800 m | 2:00.79 A |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 20th (sf) | 800 m | 2:00.38 |
| 2016 | World Indoor Championships | Portland, United States | 16th (h) | 800 m | 2:08.07 |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 26th (h) | 800 m | 2:00.50 |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 8th (sf) | 800 m | 1:59.79 |
| 2017 | Universiade | Taipei, Taiwan | 1st | 800 m | 2:02.21 |
| 2018 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Barranquilla, Colombia | 1st | 800 m | 2:01.63 |
| 2018 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Barranquilla, Colombia | 1st | 1500 m | 4:22.14 |
| 2018 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Barranquilla, Colombia | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:32.61 |
| 2018 | NACAC Championships | Toronto, Canada | 3rd | 800 m | 2:00.15 |
| 2019 | Pan American Games | Lima, Peru | 2nd | 800 m | 2:01.64 |
| 2019 | Pan American Games | Lima, Peru | 7th | 1500 m | 4:14.81 |
| 2019 | Pan American Games | Lima, Peru | 4th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:30.89 |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 13th (sf) | 800 m | 2:01.18 |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 13th (h) | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:29.84 |
| 2021 | World Relays | Chorzów, Poland | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:28.41 |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 11th (sf) | 800 m | 1:59.65 |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 8th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:26.92 |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, United States | 27th (h) | 800 m | 2:01.96 |
| 2023 | ALBA Games | Caracas, Venezuela | 1st | 800 m | 1:59.69 |
| 2023 | ALBA Games | Caracas, Venezuela | 1st | 1500 m | 4:25.69 |
| 2023 | ALBA Games | Caracas, Venezuela | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:33.37 |
| 2023 | Central American and Caribbean Games | San Salvador, El Salvador | 1st | 800 m | 2:01.75 |
| 2023 | Central American and Caribbean Games | San Salvador, El Salvador | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:26.08 |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 38th (h) | 800 m | 2:01.33 |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 13th (h) | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:29.70 |
| 2023 | Pan American Games | Santiago, Chile | 4th | 800 m | 2:03.68 |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 17th (sf) | 800 m | 1:58.73 |