Rodolfo A. Falcón Cabrera (born October 25, 1972, in

Havana, Cuba Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

, and has been called the country's best swimmer ever.Nadadores en apuros
(trans: ''Swimmers in trouble''). Published by CubAhora on 2010-12-15, retrieved 2010-12-15. Since 2006, he has been the country's National Commissioner for swimming. He swam for Cuba at the

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...

, and

2000 Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, officially branded as Sydney 2000, and also known as the Games of the New Millennium, were an international multi-sport event held from 15 September to 1 October ...

. At the 1996 Games, he won the silver medal in the 100 back ahead of countryman Neisser Bent—these represent the one swimming Olympic medals won by a Cuban. Falcón retired from the sport in 2002. At the

1998 Central American and Caribbean Games The 18th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Maracaibo, Venezuela from August 8 to August 22, 1998, and included 31 nations and a total of 5,200 competitors. Mascot The mascot for the Games was a goajira boy, Wayuuchon. Sports 31 ...

, he set the Championship Record in 100 backstroke at 56.00, which still stands as the record as of 2009. In Paris at the 2024 Olympics, 51-year-old Rodolfo Falcón competed in the 1500 meter freestyle, finishing last among the 24 swimmers who contested the event.

References

1972 births Living people Swimmers from Havana Cuban male swimmers Male backstroke swimmers Pan American Games gold medalists for Cuba Pan American Games silver medalists for Cuba Pan American Games bronze medalists for Cuba Swimmers at the 1991 Pan American Games Swimmers at the 1992 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1995 Pan American Games Swimmers at the 1996 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1999 Pan American Games Swimmers at the 2000 Summer Olympics Olympic swimmers for Cuba Olympic silver medalists for Cuba Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics Olympic silver medalists in swimming Pan American Games gold medalists in swimming Pan American Games silver medalists in swimming Pan American Games bronze medalists in swimming Summer World University Games medalists in swimming Goodwill Games medalists in swimming Central American and Caribbean Games gold medalists for Cuba Competitors at the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games Competitors at the 1998 Central American and Caribbean Games FISU World University Games gold medalists for Cuba Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in swimming Medalists at the 1993 Summer Universiade Competitors at the 1998 Goodwill Games Medalists at the 1991 Pan American Games Medalists at the 1995 Pan American Games Medalists at the 1999 Pan American Games 21st-century Cuban sportsmen 20th-century Cuban sportsmen {{Cuba-swimming-bio-stub