# Osleidys Menéndez

Osleidys Menéndez Sáez (Spanish pronunciation:; born November 14, 1979) is a retired Cuban track and field athlete who competed in the javelin throw. She was a World and Olympic Champion, and held the world record from 2001 to 2008. Her personal best of 71.70 m remains the North, Central American and Caribbean record and ranks her second on the overall list.
When winning the 2005 World Athletics Championships, Menéndez broke her own world record with a throw of 71.70 m. This record was broken by Olympic champion Barbora Špotáková in September 2008 with a throw of 72.28 m.
She won the Cuban National Games in 2004.

## Personal bests

* Javelin throw: 71.70 m – Helsinki, 14 August 2005

## International competitions

Representing  Cuba :
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| 1994 | Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U-17) | Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | 1st | Javelin | 47.32 m |
| 1995 | Pan American Junior Championships | Santiago, Chile | 1st | Javelin | 51.30 m |
| 1996 | Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U-20) | San Salvador, El Salvador | 1st | Javelin | 59.98 m |
| 1996 | World Junior Championships | Sydney, Australia | 1st | Javelin | 60.96 m |
| 1997 | Pan American Junior Championships | La Habana, Cuba | 1st | Javelin | 61.76 m |
| 1997 | Central American and Caribbean Championships | San Juan, Puerto Rico | 1st | Javelin | 63.08 m |
| 1997 | World Championships | Athens, Greece | 7th | Javelin | 63.76 m |
| 1998 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Maracaibo, Venezuela | 2nd | Javelin | 62.06 m |
| 1998 | World Junior Championships | Annecy, France | 1st | Javelin | 68.17 m |
| 1999 | Pan American Games | Winnipeg, Canada | 1st | Javelin | 65.85 m |
| 1999 | World Championships | Seville, Spain | 4th | Javelin | 64.61 m |
| 2000 | Olympic Games | Sydney, Australia | 3rd | Javelin | 66.18 m |
| 2001 | World Championships | Edmonton, Canada | 1st | Javelin | 69.53 m CR |
| 2001 | Universiade | Beijing, PR China | 1st | Javelin | 69.82 m UR |
| 2001 | Goodwill Games | Brisbane, Australia | 1st | Javelin | 66.14 m |
| 2002 | IAAF World Cup | Madrid, Spain | 1st | Javelin | 64.41 m |
| 2003 | Pan American Games | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 3rd | Javelin | 60.20 m |
| 2003 | World Championships | Paris, France | 5th | Javelin | 62.19 m |
| 2004 | Ibero-American Championships | Huelva, Spain | 1st | Javelin | 66.99 m CR |
| 2004 | Olympic Games | Athens, Greece | 1st | Javelin | 71.53 m OR |
| 2004 | IAAF World Athletics Final | Fontvieille, Monaco | 1st | Javelin | 66.20 m |
| 2005 | World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 1st | Javelin | 71.70 m WR |
| 2005 | IAAF World Athletics Final | Fontvieille, Monaco | 1st | Javelin | 67.24 m |
| 2006 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Cartagena, Colombia | 2nd | Javelin | 59.94 m |
| 2007 | ALBA Games | Caracas, Venezuela | 2nd | Javelin | 58.98 m |
| 2007 | Pan American Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 1st | Javelin | 62.34 m SB |
| 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing, PR China | 6th | Javelin | 63.35 m |
| 2009 | ALBA Games | La Habana, Cuba | 2nd | Javelin | 58.09 m |
| 2009 | Central American and Caribbean Championships | Havana, Cuba | 2nd | Javelin | 59.68 m |
| 2009 | World Championships | Berlin, Germany | 7th | Javelin | 63.11 m |
| 2009 | IAAF World Athletics Final | Thessaloniki, Greece | 5th | Javelin | 59.93 m |