Arturo Barrios
Encyclopedia
Arturo Barrios Flores (born December 12, 1962) is a Mexican
long-distance runner. He was born in Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal. Barrios finished in fifth place in the 10000 metres
at the 1988 Summer Olympics
. He is a former world record holder at 10000 m (27:08.23, set on August 18, 1989). Barrios' record was not broken until 1993 when Richard Chelimo
ran 27:07.91 in Stockholm
. This mark stood as the North American record until May 1, 2010, and still stands as the National Record of Mexico.
On March 30, 1991, Barrios set world records at one hour
(21.101 km) and 20,000 m (56:55.6). These records stood until June 2007, when they were broken by Haile Gebrselassie
. Barrios' 1991 performance makes him the first man ever to run a half-marathon distance in less than one hour; the first to do so in an actual half-marathon competition was Moses Tanui
in 1993. That performance also still stands as the North American records and the National Records of Mexico
for those two events.
In 1992 he participated in the 6th IAAF World Cup in Athletics
, running the 5000m with a time of 13:50.95, finishing in second place.
Between 1987 and 1990, Barrios won the San Francisco Bay to Breakers
race, considered the largest footrace in the world, four consecutive times.
Barrios became a United States citizen in September 1994. Barrios graduated from Texas A&M University
in 1985 where he competed in track and cross country.
The annual Arturo Barrios Invitational 5K and 10K road races in Chula Vista, California
, launched in 1989, were held for the last time in 2006.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
long-distance runner. He was born in Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal. Barrios finished in fifth place in the 10000 metres
Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's 10000 metres
The men's 10,000 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entrylist of 48 competitors, with two qualifying heats before the final took place on Monday September 26, 1988.-Medalists:-Records:...
at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
. He is a former world record holder at 10000 m (27:08.23, set on August 18, 1989). Barrios' record was not broken until 1993 when Richard Chelimo
Richard Chelimo
Richard Chelimo was a Kenyan athlete, and a former world and world junior record holder over 10,000 m...
ran 27:07.91 in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. This mark stood as the North American record until May 1, 2010, and still stands as the National Record of Mexico.
On March 30, 1991, Barrios set world records at one hour
Hour run
The one hour run is an athletics event in which competitors try to cover as much distance as possible within one hour. While officially recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as a track event, it is rarely contested apart from occasional world record attempts.The event...
(21.101 km) and 20,000 m (56:55.6). These records stood until June 2007, when they were broken by Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon...
. Barrios' 1991 performance makes him the first man ever to run a half-marathon distance in less than one hour; the first to do so in an actual half-marathon competition was Moses Tanui
Moses Tanui
Moses Tanui is a former Kenyan long-distance runner who won the gold medal over 10000 m at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics in Tokyo....
in 1993. That performance also still stands as the North American records and the National Records of Mexico
Mexican records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Mexico maintained by its national athletics federation: Federación Mexicana de Atletismo .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:ht = hand timing+ = en route to a longer distance# = not officially ratified...
for those two events.
In 1992 he participated in the 6th IAAF World Cup in Athletics
IAAF World Cup in Athletics
The IAAF Continental Cup is an international athletics competition which comprises track and field events. It is the only world cup contested by teams representing entire continents, rather than just those of individual nations...
, running the 5000m with a time of 13:50.95, finishing in second place.
Between 1987 and 1990, Barrios won the San Francisco Bay to Breakers
Bay to Breakers
The Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace which takes place in San Francisco, California on the third Sunday of May. The name reflects the fact that the race starts at the northeast end of the downtown area a few blocks from The Embarcadero and runs west through the city to finish at the Great...
race, considered the largest footrace in the world, four consecutive times.
Barrios became a United States citizen in September 1994. Barrios graduated from Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in 1985 where he competed in track and cross country.
The annual Arturo Barrios Invitational 5K and 10K road races in Chula Vista, California
Chula Vista, California
Chula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S....
, launched in 1989, were held for the last time in 2006.
Personal records
| Distance | Time | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 meters | 3:37.61 | 13 August 1989 | Hengelo Hengelo Hengelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city lies along the motorways A1/E30 and A35 and it has a station for the International Amsterdam – Hannover – Berlin service.-Traffic and transport:... , Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
| 3000 meters | 7:35.71 | 10 July 1989 | Nice Nice Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
| 5000 meters | 13:07.79 | 14 July 1989 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
| 10000 meters | 27:08.23 | 18 August 1989 | Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
| 15000 meters | 42:36 | 29 July 1986 | Portland Portland, Oregon Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States... , Oregon Oregon Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern... |
| 20000 meters | 56:55.6 | 30 March 1991 | La Fléche La Flèche La Flèche is a municipality located in the French department of Sarthe and the region of Pays de la Loire in the Loire Valley. This is the sub-prefecture of the South-Sarthe, the chief district and the chief city of a canton. This is the second most populous city of the department. The city is part... , France |
| Time | Distance | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Hour | 21.101 km | 30 March 1991 | La Fléche, France |