Leonel "Bebito" Smith

Infobox Person
name=Leonel "Bebito" Smith


caption=Taken at the Central American Games in Mexico in 1926
birth_date=1909
birth_place=Varadero, Matanzas, Cuba
death_date=2000
death_place=Havana, Cuba

Leonel “Bebito” Smith y Polo (1909 in Varadero, Matanzas, Cuba - 2000 in Havana, Cuba) was a Cuban multiple gold medalist swimmer at the 1926 Central American Games in Mexico City, Mexico and at the 1930 Central American Games (now called the Central American and Caribbean Games) held in Havana, Cuba.

When Mr. Smith was 16 years old (1925), he won the gold medal in the 1500 meter swimming competition at the Varadero Nautical Club, which was considered the national championships in swimming.

The following year (1926), he goes to the "I Juegos Centroamericanos" (1st Central American Games) held in Mexico. Mr. Smith won the gold in the 400 meters (6:06.3) y 1500 meters (26:17.7), as an individual and a gold medal as member of the relay swimming team 4x100, along with Carlos González, Alberto Gou y Gonzalo Silverio.

Four years later (1930), he competes in the "II Juegos Centroamericanos" (2nd Central American Games) held in Havana. He again wins in the 400 meters (5:28.6), the 1500 meters (22:22.0), and in the relay of 4x100 with Gonzalo Silverio, Cosme Carol and Pablo La Rosa (4:26.2). He also won a silver medal in the 100 meters, just behind his teammate Pablo La Rosa.

A little after the 1930 games he suffered an accident and had to retire from competitive swimming. From then on until just before his death he became a teacher and swimming coach. In the 1950s Smith was the swimming coach at Belen School. The Cuban government in 1999, declared that from then forward on June 30th would be the "Day of the Swimmer" in honor of Mr. Smith.

References

* [http://www.diariodigital.com.do/articulo,6857,html Diario Digital article]
* [http://www.palabranueva.net/contens/0707/000109.htm Palabra Nueva article]
* [http://www.somosjovenes.cu/deporte/semana2/bebito.htm Somos Jovenes article]
* [http://www.cubahora.cu/index.php?tpl=dossiers/figuras/deportes/share-tpls/ver-not.tpl.html&newsid_obj_id=1022027 Cuba Ahora article]
* [http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/temas10/articulo15.html Granma article]
* [http://spanish.peopledaily.com.cn/31615/4561975.html People's Daily article]
* [http://www.prensalatina.com.mx/media/Centroamericanos%202006/Paginas/EdicionesAnt1.html Prensa Latina article]
* [http://www.natacion.com.ar/web/notas/notas.php?id=77 Natacion article]
* [http://www.prensalatina.com.mx/media/Centroamericanos%202006/Paginas/EdicionesAnt2.html Prensa Latina article]
* [http://www.enlace.cu/efemeride/junio.htm Enl@ce article]
* [http://pasajedeportivo.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_archive.html Pasaje Deportivo article]
* [http://cubahora.co.cu/index.php?tpl=dossiers/figuras/deportes/share-tpls/ver-not.tpl.html&newsid_obj_id=1011681 Cuba Ahora article]