Andrea Becali

Havana, May 18 (ACN)-- Seventeen-year-old swimmer Andrea Becali, already a historical reference in the backstroke in Cuba, competed in the 400-meter freestyle, where she dazzled the national team, including her demanding coach Maria Luisa Mojarrieta.

Speaking exclusively to ACN, the Havana native said she feels very strong in this style, in which she will continue to improve, as in her best events, the backstroke, where she has repeatedly broken national records.

Faithful to her progression, the capital city native won the 400-meter freestyle in the emblematic Marcelo Salado Cup in 5:25 minutes, a four-second improvement over her previous personal best.

Earlier, in the tournament at the Baragua Swimming Pool Complex in East Havana, Becali won the 100 backstroke with 1:04.41, after dominating during the start on Monday in the 50 backstroke (30.33 seconds) and 200 combined (backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle) in 2:27.79 minutes.

Becali is getting ready to compete in the World Championship next month in Hungary and then in the first Caribbean Games in Guadeloupe and the CCAN (tournament of swimming associations of Central America and the Caribbean that has not yet confirmed the final date and venue).

In the Cuban competition, which traditionally counts with foreign guest athletes, the triumph of Julio Calero from Espiritu, who will also participate in the world championship, as well as the great figure, Elisbet Gámez from Baracoa, and the promising Rodolfo Falcón (son) from Havana, both specialists in the freestyle modality, also stood out.

Calero timed 1:03.54 in 100 meters breaststroke, in a competition that gathers from Monday to Saturday almost 200 swimmers of the categories 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 and 15 and over.