Humberto Mariles
Encyclopedia
Humberto Mariles Cortés (June 13, 1913 – December 7, 1972) was a Mexican
show jumping
champion, two times Olympic champion. He participated in the 1948 Summer Olympics
in London
where he won gold medals both in Individual Jumping and in Team Jumping, as a member of the Mexican winning team aboard his Mexican-bred horse, Arete. Mariles Cortés made a bold move in the final jumping round, allowing his horse to jump into the water (and thus incur jumping faults) so that he would be appropriately balanced to clear the following jump, a large wall. Due to this strategy, Arete was the only horse to jump this obstacle clean.
He also obtained a bronze medal in Three-Day Event, Team.
Mariles Cortés killed a man by gunshot in 1964, due to "road rage," and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He served five of those years before being released, only to be arrested in 1972 after he was caught drug-trafficking in Paris. He died in his cell that same year, at the age of 59, but it is still unclear whether it was due to murder or suicide.
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...
show jumping
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
champion, two times Olympic champion. He participated in the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
in 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...
where he won gold medals both in Individual Jumping and in Team Jumping, as a member of the Mexican winning team aboard his Mexican-bred horse, Arete. Mariles Cortés made a bold move in the final jumping round, allowing his horse to jump into the water (and thus incur jumping faults) so that he would be appropriately balanced to clear the following jump, a large wall. Due to this strategy, Arete was the only horse to jump this obstacle clean.
He also obtained a bronze medal in Three-Day Event, Team.
Mariles Cortés killed a man by gunshot in 1964, due to "road rage," and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He served five of those years before being released, only to be arrested in 1972 after he was caught drug-trafficking in Paris. He died in his cell that same year, at the age of 59, but it is still unclear whether it was due to murder or suicide.