Ana Fidelia Quirot
Encyclopedia
Ana Fidelia Quirot (born March 23, 1963 in Palma Soriano
) is a female athlete from Cuba
, who specialised in the 800 m
but was also successful over 400 m
.
Quirot won a silver medal at the 1991 IAAF World Championships in Athletics
and a bronze medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
. However the following year she was involved in a horrific domestic accident that left her seriously injured. She was pregnant at the time and gave birth to her daughter prematurely in hospital while fighting for her life. Her daughter did not survive and died a week after she was born.
She returned from her accident in late 1993 and won a silver medal in the Central America Games, behind the Surinam athlete Letitia Vriesde
. She had international success in the following years too: she won a gold medal at the 1995 IAAF World Championships in Athletics
in Sweden
and again in 1997 in Athens
. She also won a silver at the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta.
She is one of only a handful of female athletes who have run under 1 minute and 55 seconds for 800 m: her best time of 1:54.44 was set when winning the IAAF World Cup in Barcelona in 1989 and she also ran 1:54.82 to beat Maria de Lurdes Mutola in a Grand Prix race in Cologne
in 1997. Her personal best time ranks her as the fourth fastest 800 m runner of all time. Her personal best for 400 m is 49.61. She also holds the world best for the unofficial distance of 600 metres.
Palma Soriano
Palma Soriano is a municipality in the Santiago de Cuba Province of Cuba.The municipality is divided into the localite of Alto Cedro, Caney del Sitio, Guaninao, José Martí, Juan Barón, La Concepción, Las Cuchillas, Los Dorados, Norte, Palmarito de Cauto, San Leandro, San Ramón, Santa Filomena and...
) is a female athlete from Cuba
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...
, who specialised in the 800 m
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
but was also successful over 400 m
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
.
Quirot won a silver medal at the 1991 IAAF World Championships in Athletics
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
and a bronze medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. However the following year she was involved in a horrific domestic accident that left her seriously injured. She was pregnant at the time and gave birth to her daughter prematurely in hospital while fighting for her life. Her daughter did not survive and died a week after she was born.
She returned from her accident in late 1993 and won a silver medal in the Central America Games, behind the Surinam athlete Letitia Vriesde
Letitia Vriesde
Letitia Alma Vriesde is a track and field athlete from Suriname. Her main event is the 800 m. She is the first sportsperson from Surinam to compete at five Olympic Games....
. She had international success in the following years too: she won a gold medal at the 1995 IAAF World Championships in Athletics
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and again in 1997 in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. She also won a silver at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta.
She is one of only a handful of female athletes who have run under 1 minute and 55 seconds for 800 m: her best time of 1:54.44 was set when winning the IAAF World Cup in Barcelona in 1989 and she also ran 1:54.82 to beat Maria de Lurdes Mutola in a Grand Prix race in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
in 1997. Her personal best time ranks her as the fourth fastest 800 m runner of all time. Her personal best for 400 m is 49.61. She also holds the world best for the unofficial distance of 600 metres.
External links and sources
- http://www.cubasports.com/french/estrellas/anafidelia.asp a brief biography in French
- http://forum.barriodecuba.it/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3153&sid=3757d9d1629dbebac52133f767e70c3b a blog with photo of Quirot taken on 1 st May 2007.