Cuban Swimmer Hanser Garcia Makes the Olympic Finals

HAVANA TIMES — On Tuesday, Cuban swimmer Hanser Garcia became the first Olympic finalist in the 100 meter freestyle category in the 2012 London Olympics, reported the Prensa Latina news agency.

“They weren’t expecting me to do much, a Cuban in the eight lane, but I was going to do this for myself, without thinking about the competitors  or feeling any pressure, except for my own, since I wanted to give this gift to my mother and to Cuba,” said Garcia.

Clocked at 48.04 seconds, the Cuban dolphin had the third fastest time in that distance, surpassed only by Australia’s James Magnussen (47.63) and US athlete Nathan Adrian (47.97), leaving behind the 2008 monarch of Beijing, Cesar Cielo (Brazil).

Tonight Hanser will be in one of three principal lanes when his final race takes place.