Photo: Ricardo López Hevia (www.granma.cu)

Havana, October 10 (RHC)-- The several times record holder in ball control, Erick Hernandez, set a new record on Sunday by keeping the ball in motion for 1:09:50 hours.

He achieved it from a sitting position, hitting the ball with his head and with 1.5 kilograms strapped to each ankle. The event took place at the Copacabana Hotel in this city.

With this, he surpassed the previous record, also in his possession, which was one hour and 59 seconds. The event was attended by the main authorities of the Cuban Football Association (AFC).

"I would like to dedicate this record to the people of Pinar del Río, who suffered the effects of Hurricane Ian," Erick said after the feat. He also explained that he spent a lot of time for this attempt, planned in Varadero until the tragedy at the Matanzas Supertanker Base forced to postpone it.

"I was focused on this record, maybe that made me overexert myself and exhaust myself a little," admitted the 56-year-old former soccer player, who has been practicing this modality for almost two decades and has several Guinness Book records to his credit.

His previous record was set in April of this year in the same place. That time he hit the ball with his head 351 times during one minute to dethrone China's Gao Chong, owner of 341 touches.

Hernandez announced that next November 19 he will try a new record, although he did not reveal which modality it will be.