Baracoa swimmer Elisbet Gámez closes with record at world championship

December 19, 2022

Baracoense Elisbet Gámez concluded at the World Short Course Swimming Championship (25 meters) in Melbourne, Australia, with another record for Cuba in the 200 meters freestyle.

In recent hours the Guantanamo native finished fifth in her elimination heat and ended in 17th place among 40 competitors, among whom she had the fourth best reaction to the starting signal, with 0.62 hundredths.

Gámez achieved 835 points by clocking 1:57.11 minutes and her best 25-meter split was the first, which she swam in 13.33 seconds, according to the World Aquatics results table, the governing organization of swimming.

The champion was Hong Kong's Siobhan Bernadette Haughey (1:51.65), followed by Canadian Rebecca Smith (1:52.24) and Dutch Marrit Steenbergen (1:52.28).

This week in the tournament, Gámez, 25 years old, set a national record by breaking the 55-second mark for the first time in the 100 meters freestyle, where she registered 54.87 and finished in 34th place in the overall standings of 65 competitors.

With 4:11.66 minutes in 400 meters freestyle, the Baracoense closed in 18th place among 31 swimmers.

Also competing for Cuba was Rodolfo Falcón (son), who clocked 8:11.47 in 800 freestyle, good for 20th place in a field of 24 competitors.