Garcia leads Cuban team in regional swimming championship

Olympic finalist Hanser Garcia leads Cuba's eight-member national team that will take part in the 2013 Central American and Caribbean Swimming Championship (CCCAN) slated for July 1 to 7 in Costa Rica.

Luisa Maria Mojarrieta, Garcia's coach, said the CCCAN will be a good opportunity for the swimmers to face quality rivals before participating in the 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona, Spain, from July 19 to Aug 4, reports Xinhua.

The 24-year-old Garcia is Cuba's main hope for swimming events at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. The swimmer finished seventh in the 100m freestyle event in London 2012 with a national record of 48.04 seconds.

The Cuban swimming team for CCCAN also includes Armando Barrera who will take part in the men's 50m butterfly, Alejandro Martinez (men's 50, 100 and 200m butterfly) and Raul Martinez (from men's 100 to 1,500m freestyle).

The women's category includes new swimmers Daysi Ramirez, who will compete in 50, 100 and 200m breaststroke, Daniela Benavides (freestyle), Luisa Maria Falcon (50, 100 and 200m backstroke) and Karla Ibanez (50, 100 and 200m butterfly).

The championship will grant tickets for the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games to be held in the eastern Mexican city of Veracruz.

Cuba has won two swimming medals in its Olympic history. Rodolfo Falcon won a silver and Neiser Bent won a bronze in Atlanta 1996, though Cuba has never won medals in long-course pools world championships.