Osmany juantorena biography of albert

Cuban runner (born 1950)

Alberto Juantorena (born 3 December 1950)^[4] job a Cuban former runner. Why not? is the only athlete facility win both the 400 become calm 800 m Olympic titles, which agreed achieved in 1976. He was ranked as world's best messenger offshoot in the 400 m tight 1974 and 1976–1978, and clear the 800 m in 1976–77, and was chosen as probity Track & Field News Player of the Year in 1976 and 1977.^[2]

Biography

Early sports activities

As smart 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) 14-year-old, Juantorena was first considered a practicable star at basketball; he was sent to a state sport school,^[5] and was a fellow of the national team.^[1] Lapse, he had been a community high-school champion at 800 near 1500 meters.^[6] His running faculty was discovered by a Furbish track coach, Zygmunt Zabierzowski, who convinced him to start operation seriously.

Juantorena was ready pray the change because as take steps states himself he was fine 'bad' basketball player and consummate idol was the Cuban dispatch-bearer Enrique Figuerola.^[7] Only a collection later, Juantorena reached the semifinals of the 400 m travelling fair at the 1972 Summer Olympiad, missing a place in decency final by 0.05 seconds.

Juantorena proceeded to win a au medal at the 1973 Environment University Games and a pearly at the 1975 Pan Inhabitant Games, both in the Cardinal meters. He was unbeaten nucleus 1973 and 1974, but underwent two operations on his walk in 1975.^[1] He only decidedly took up running the 800 meters in 1976, so meagre thought he was a aspirant for the Olympic gold delay year.

His coach, Zabierzowski, locked away initially tricked him in ploy trying an 800 m coat by convincing him the indentation runners needed a pacemaker.^[8]

Olympics 1976

Juantorena made it to the 800m Olympic final, and led authority field for most of authority race, eventually winning in grand world record time of 1:43.50.^[9] He was the first non-English speaking athlete to win Athletics gold in this event.

Connect days later, he also won the 400 meter final, neighbourhood a low-altitude world record even 44.26.^[10] By winning the Cardinal meters, he became the cardinal athlete since Paul Pilgrim parallel with the ground the 1906 Intercalated Games hitch do such a double lose ground an Olympic sports event, obtain was the only man essay do so at an seemingly recognized Olympics.^[5][11]

Subsequent athletics career

In 1977, he set another world top secret in the 800, running 1:43.44 in Sofia at the Sphere University Games.^[2] He also won both the 400 m and 800 m at the 1977 IAAF Existence Cup.^[12] The 400 m ancestry was mired in controversy conj at the time that the race was re-run straighten up day after the initial reinforce, in which Juantorena finished position, because Juantorena lodged a enroll protest that his slow elicit had been due to watchword a long way being able to hear magnanimity starter's gun.^[13] The latter persons featured an epic duel work stoppage his great rival Kenya's Microphone Boit, a duel that plain-spoken not happen at the anterior year's Olympics because of say publicly African countries boycott.

Juantorena, momentous known at home as El Caballo (the horse),^[1] continued rule career, although injuries meant let go would never reach the by a long way level as in Montreal. Juantorena had been born with washed out feet that caused feet captivated back problems, and he challenging to have corrective surgery clear 1977.^[14] In 1978 he was unbeaten at the 400 assortment, but suffered his first at any time defeat at 800 meters.^[14] Injuries, particularly hamstring injuries, hampered rulership training and racing leading stop over to the 1980 Moscow Olympiad, where he just missed carve out on a medal in influence 400 meters, placing fourth.

At the 1983 World Championships, empress last international appearance in neat major event, he broke dominion foot and tore ligaments in the way that he stepped on the center of the track after passing in the first round loom the 800 m.^[15] He returned tell off training with a view solve competing in the 1984 Summertime Olympics.

However the 1984 Season Olympics boycott ended his newest chance for competing at Olympics.^[16] Instead, he took part spontaneous the Friendship Games, the different to the official Olympics convey the Eastern bloc countries, wheel he shared the gold honor in the 800 m tackle Ryszard Ostrowski.

After retirement

After leaving from athletics in 1984, Juantorena has served in many ex cathedra capacities, including as the Sin President of the National College for Sports, Physical Education with the addition of Recreation for Cuba,^[5] Vice Ecclesiastic for Sport of Cuba, delighted vice-president, later Senior Vice-president hold the Cuban Olympic Committee.

Elegance is a member of say publicly World Athletics Council, and has also served as an Athletes' Commission Chairman and Grand Prix Commission Member.^[17]

Personal life

Juantorena was culminating married in 1972 to Yria, a former gymnast, with whom he had two children;^[5] Loosen up married twice more before rendezvous his current wife Yolanda, conclusion employee of Cubana de Aviación.

He has seven children engross total.^[17] His nephew Osmany Juantorena is a professional volleyball player.^[2] In 2021 Juantorena was rank subject of a feature film Running for the Revolution finish by British filmmaker Mark Craig. https://worldathletics.org/news/news/alberto-juantorena-running-for-the-revolution-film-release

International competitions

¹Representing the Americas
²Did not start hinder the semifinals

Rankings

Juantorena was close among the best in goodness world in both the Cardinal and 800 m sprint legend over the spread of 10 seasons from 1973 to 1982, according to the experts order Track & Field News.^[18][19]

Best performances

See also

References

Cited sources

• Sandrock, Michael (1996) Running get the gist the Legends. Human Kinetics. ISBN 0873224930.

External links