Although it has a relatively small population base, Cuba has consistently been an athletics power for more than half a century and its athletes have won Olympic and World Championship medals in 26 events. The nation`s success has been achieved with the support of a well-planned and scientifically-based athlete development process, which has made international researchers, professionals and specialists wonder about the Cuban secret for producing champions. This case study provides a generic description of the Cuban high-performance system, with concrete examples of the organisational and methodological foundations underlying the formation of elite athletes. Three main components are covered: 1) the pyramidal approach of the athletic development process; 2) the timely specialisation of athletic talents; and 3) the methodologies for achieving success in high-performance athletics. The author concludes by stating that appropriate specialisation at each step of the athlete`s development are essential to reach the culminating point in the training and preparation process.
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