Vladimir Hernández

Havana, Apr 13 (JIT) - Laurent Estrada, with gold in 50 freestyle and silver in 100 backstroke, and Vladimir Hernandez, winner in 400 freestyle, raised Cuba's medals to five in the X Dominican Republic Swimming Open 2025, which concludes this Sunday.

The Villa Clara native won the shortest distance with a time of 26:95 s, and in the hectometer she registered 1:04.74 minutes, in a clear challenge to the strong flu she has been suffering from for several days. She has three victories to her name, as on Friday she was second in the 50 backstroke.

On the other hand, Vladimir Hernandez, from Havana, won his second gold medal by leading the 400 freestyle with a personal record (4:09.47 m) and another B mark with a view to the Junior Pan American Games of Asuncion 2025. The previous day he dominated the 800 freestyle.

Havana's Yadiel Estrada once again stood out among the youngest of the group representing Cuba, by lowering to 24:74 the 24:91 obtained in the preliminary and placing seventh in the final A of the 50 freestyle. 

It was enough for him to obtain his second gold medal among the 15-16 year-olds, since the competition also awards prizes by age category.

In the B final of that event, his co-province Danilo Savin finished sixth with 25:63, and Yunieskiel Clavelo from Camagüey did not advance to that stage.

This Sunday, Clavelo will have the opportunity to swim 100 meters butterfly in a special series requested by the Cuban federation to try to validate his mark, main objective of the team, confirmed to JIT the national commissioner Nelson Garcia.

On the day of the farewell, Vladimir and Alessandro Herrera, from Havana, will also swim in the 1500 free; Laurent, Yadiel, and Luciano Gonzalez from the capital in 50 butterfly, and Danilo in 100 breast and 200 freestyle.