Rodolfo Antonio Falcón Cabrera

Rodolfo Falcón. Cuban athlete in the swimming specialty. He is a retired Cuban backstroke swimmer from competitive activity. He participated in three consecutive Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in the 100m backstroke on one occasion. He is considered the best Cuban swimmer in history.

His record is filled with many successes at the Central American, Pan-American, and world levels, making him the most decorated swimmer in the history of this sport in Cuba. Many nicknamed this tall swimmer, 1.86 meters in height and 83 kilograms in weight, "the lawyer of the pool," because along with his sports career he was studying law.

He was born in Havana, Cuba. Initially, Falcón enrolled in the Water Polo specialty, but when he arrived at the beginning of the school year at the Sports Initiation School, located in the Vedado municipality, the water polo players had already started and offered him the chance to switch to Swimming, a casual matter that proved decisive in his life.

Supported by his physical abilities and lessons from his mother, the young swimmer emerged as the national champion in the 9-10 age category. He joined the national team in 1987.

Undoubtedly, the most important day for Cuban swimming was July 23, 1996, when Falcón finished second and Neisser Bent Vázquez third, only surpassed by American Jeff Rouse, and at once two Olympic medals arrived when the closest we had been before was in the finals.

For more than one expert, at the XI Pan-American Games held in Havana, Rodolfo Falcón should have harvested more than one success in an international competition. Although he came away without medals in the 200 meters after leading the first three laps, he achieved the silver medal in the 100m of the same specialty.

A year later he would make his debut at a summer competition. His seventh place in the 100 meters at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games confirmed his rise to world level and sowed respect among his rivals for future events.

Thus, the 1993 Buffalo University World Games in the United States brought the Cuban backstroker a pair of gold medals. He won the same amount at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Ponce, Puerto Rico, plus a third-place finish in the World Cup circuit held in Las Palmas, Spain, to close out a fabulous season.

However, Falcón's consecration before the Athens success occurred at the World Short Course (25 meters) Championship in Rio de Janeiro 1995, Brazil. His strokes registered 53.12 seconds and 1:55.16 minutes in the 100 and 200 meters backstroke, respectively, valid for the highest award.

That same year he avenged the loss from Havana 1991 and returned from the multi-sport event in Mar del Plata, Argentina, with two medals: bronze and silver in the usual distances. He reached the top of the podium in this type of tournament in Winnipeg 1999. In the Canadian city no one could swim faster the two lengths of the pool.

The world event hosted by Hong Kong one year before the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games also had Falcón among its main competitors. There he was the king of the 50 and 100 meters, with a best time of 52.44 seconds in the latter event.

He is the only swimmer who made the top 10 athletes of the year in Cuba on more than three occasions (1993, 1995, 1996, and 1999) and was chosen among the 100 athletes of the century in Cuba.

Current holder of national records in 50 and 200 meters backstroke in long course, and 50 and 100 meters in short course.

The 2001 World Championships in Japan disappointed him, as he failed to achieve in the competition the times he had previously recorded, which would have even earned him the gold medal, something that had also happened at previous world short course competitions in 1994 and 1998.

In July 2001 he retired from active sports. Upon retirement, he was the only swimmer who made the top 10 athletes of the year in Cuba on more than three occasions (1993, 1995, 1996, and 1999) and was chosen among the 100 athletes of the century on the Island.

After his retirement he remains close to the pools, although his relationship with them has changed. Now his energy as national commissioner is focused on rebuilding Cuban swimming.

1991: silver medal in the World Cup (short course) in Italy (55.83) and in the Pan-American Games in Havana (56.12), both in 100m backstroke. Bronze medal in the 1991 Pan-American Games in Havana (4x100 relay)
1992: seventh place in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.
1993: gold medal in 100 (55.60) and 200 (1:59.90) meters at the World University Games in Buffalo, United States, and bronze medal in 100 (54.00) at the Short Course World Championships in Palma de Mallorca. Gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Ponce 1993 (57.47 -100), (2:03.48 -200) and (4x100 relay).
1994: sixth place in 100m at the Long Course World Championships in Rome.
1995: Gold medal in 100m (53.12) and 200m (1:55.16) at the Short Course World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, and silver medal in 200m (2:00.98) and bronze in 100m (56.13) at the Pan-American Games in Mar del Plata.
1996: Olympic runner-up in 100m (54.98) backstroke and eighth in 200m at the Atlanta Games.
1997: fourth place in 100m at the Short Course World Championships in Gothenburg.
1998: fifth place in 100m at the Long Course World Championships in Perth, Australia. Gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Maracaibo 1998 (55.60-100) and (4x100 relay)
1999: Gold medal in 50m (24.32) and 100m (52.44) at the Short Course World Championships in Hong Kong, and gold in 100m (54.93) at the Pan-American Games in Winnipeg.
2000: Silver medal in 100m (52.87) and bronze medal in 50m (24.32) at the Short Course World Championships in Athens. Ninth in 100m at the Sydney Olympic Games.