Cuban skater Adriana Cantillo

Havana, November 9 (RHC)-- Adriana Cantillo continues to put Cuba on the world skating map by finishing eighth in the 500 meters at the World Championships in Ibagué, Colombia.

About 48 hours after finishing tenth in the 200 meters, with a national record, the skater from La Lisa, in the Cuban capital, shone again in the 500 meters, improving twice the Cuban record and setting it at 45.423 seconds.

Both in 200 and 500, Cantillo achieved the best results of Cuban skating in the history of the world championships, the head of the Cuban delegation to the world championships, Fernando Tomassevich, told Radio Habana Cuba.

"She still has the 100 meters, her strongest event, on Thursday," said the federation official, recalling that never before had a Cuban skater made it past the semifinals in a world championship.

The 500 meters were dominated by the Colombian María Fernanda Timms (44.454) and Geiny Pájaro (44.972), followed by the Ecuadorian María Arias (45.136).

The Cuban delegation to the World Championship is made up of 4 skaters, among them Richard Díaz, 22nd place in the elimination race of 10,000 meters, youth category.

There are 344 skaters from 38 countries competing in the World Cup in Ibagué.