Alberto Juantorena
Encyclopedia
Alberto Juantorena Danger (born 3 December 1950) is a Cuba
n former track athlete
. At the 1976 Summer Olympics
, he became the first and so far only athlete to win both the 400 and 800 m Olympic titles.
Born in Santiago de Cuba
, Juantorena first played basketball
, until he was discovered by a Polish
track coach, Zygmunt Zabierzowski, who convinced him to start running. Only a year later, Juantorena was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 400 m event at the Munich Olympics (1972)
.
Juantorena became better known in the next years, winning a gold medal at the World University Games (1973) and a silver at the 1975 Pan American Games
, both in the 400 m. He only seriously took up running the 800 m in 1976, so few thought he was a candidate for the Olympic gold that year. However, Juantorena made it to the Olympic final, and led the field for most of the race, eventually winning in a world record
time of 1:43.50. Three days later, he also won the 400 m final, setting a low-altitude world record of 44.26.
In 1977 he won both the 400 m and 800 m at the World Cup in Düsseldorf
, Germany, the latter race being an epic duel with Kenya's Mike Boit
.
Juantorena, now known at home as El Caballo (the horse), continued his career, although he would never reach the same level as in Montreal. He just missed out on a medal in the 400 m at the 1980 Summer Olympics
in Moscow, placing fourth. At the 1983 World Championships, his last international appearance in a major event, he broke his foot when he stepped on the inside of the track after qualifying in the first round of the 800 m.
Juantorena later served as the Vice Minister of Sports for Cuba.
His nephew Osmany Juantorena
is a professional volleyball player playing in Italy
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n former track athlete
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. At the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, he became the first and so far only athlete to win both the 400 and 800 m Olympic titles.
Born in Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
, Juantorena first played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, until he was discovered by a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
track coach, Zygmunt Zabierzowski, who convinced him to start running. Only a year later, Juantorena was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 400 m event at the Munich Olympics (1972)
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
.
Juantorena became better known in the next years, winning a gold medal at the World University Games (1973) and a silver at the 1975 Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
, both in the 400 m. He only seriously took up running the 800 m in 1976, so few thought he was a candidate for the Olympic gold that year. However, Juantorena made it to the Olympic final, and led the field for most of the race, eventually winning in a world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
time of 1:43.50. Three days later, he also won the 400 m final, setting a low-altitude world record of 44.26.
In 1977 he won both the 400 m and 800 m at the World Cup in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, Germany, the latter race being an epic duel with Kenya's Mike Boit
Mike Boit
Mike Boit Mike Boit Mike Boit (Michael Kipsubut Boit; (born 1 June 1949) is a Kenyan former middle distance athlete whose career spanned fifteen years. He is presently a professor at Kenyatta University in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science....
.
Juantorena, now known at home as El Caballo (the horse), continued his career, although he would never reach the same level as in Montreal. He just missed out on a medal in the 400 m at the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow, placing fourth. At the 1983 World Championships, his last international appearance in a major event, he broke his foot when he stepped on the inside of the track after qualifying in the first round of the 800 m.
Juantorena later served as the Vice Minister of Sports for Cuba.
His nephew Osmany Juantorena
Osmany Juantorena
Osmany Juantorena Portuondo is an Italian-Cuban volleyball player. He currently plays as side attacker for Trentino Volley...
is a professional volleyball player playing in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
External links and references
See also
- A Step AwayA Step AwayA Step Away is an Official Olympic Film, a documentary filmed during the VIIIth Pan American Games held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from July 1 to July 15, 1979. It was produced and directed by Roberto Ponce and co-directed by Marcos Zurinaga. The English language narrator was Orson Welles and de...