Irving Saladino
Encyclopedia
Irving Jahir Saladino Aranda (born January 23, 1983) is a Panama
nian long jump
er. He is the current Olympic champion, and Panama's first and only Olympic gold medallist.
Saladino was born in Colón, Panama
.
At the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
he finished second with a new South American indoor record of 8.29 metres. In 2006 he won five (Oslo, Rome, Zurich, Brussels, Berlin) out of six Golden League
events in the same season, which earned him a total of $83,333. His only defeat was in Paris where he was second. With 8.56 metres achieved in May 2006 he became the South American record holder.
The 2006 world leader in the long jump, Saladino launched his 2007 season with the farthest leap of the year, 8.53m (−0.2 m/s wind), to capture the victory at the "Grande Prêmio Rio Caixa de Atletismo", held in Rio de Janeiro on May 13, 2007. On 24 May 2008, Saladino achieved a new personal record. During the FBK-Games in Hengelo, Saladino jumped with his first attempt to 8.73m (+1.2 m/s wind).
He carried the flag for his native country at the opening ceremony of the 2007 Pan American Games
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On 30 August 2007 Saladino became the World Champion in Osaka
. He led with the mark of 8.30 metres from his second attempt, then improved to 8.46 m, until the penultimate jump of the contest, when he was overtaken by Andrew Howe
who set as mark 8.47 m. Saladino was able to earn the gold medal on the last attempt of the contest, in which he jumped 8.57 m.
Saladino competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing, China, where he made history in Central America and his country, Panama, by winning the Gold Medal in the long jump
competition on 18 August 2008, with a jump of 8.34 meters, giving Panama their first Olympic medal since the 1948 Summer Olympics
, and their first gold ever. This is also the first Olympic gold medal ever won in a men's event by an athlete from Central America.
On 21 August 2008 after winning Olympic gold, he arrived to Panama
a national hero. Government offices and public schools were closed in honor of him so that public servants were able to attend a parade through Panama City. At a welcoming ceremony, Panamanian boxing legend Roberto Durán
presented the Olympic gold medal to Irving Saladino for a second time. Martin Torrijos
, President of Panama, announced a decree to name a sports facility in the Villa Deportiva in Juan Díaz after Saladino and granted a check to him for 50,000 U.S. dollars. Also, Ruben Blades
performed the song "Patria" (Motherland) in front of thousands of cheering Panamanians.
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
nian long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
er. He is the current Olympic champion, and Panama's first and only Olympic gold medallist.
Saladino was born in Colón, Panama
Colón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
.
At the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 11th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations was held in Moscow from March 10 to March 12, 2006 in the Olimpiyski Sport arena....
he finished second with a new South American indoor record of 8.29 metres. In 2006 he won five (Oslo, Rome, Zurich, Brussels, Berlin) out of six Golden League
IAAF Golden League
The IAAF Golden League was an annual series of track and field meetings organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations...
events in the same season, which earned him a total of $83,333. His only defeat was in Paris where he was second. With 8.56 metres achieved in May 2006 he became the South American record holder.
The 2006 world leader in the long jump, Saladino launched his 2007 season with the farthest leap of the year, 8.53m (−0.2 m/s wind), to capture the victory at the "Grande Prêmio Rio Caixa de Atletismo", held in Rio de Janeiro on May 13, 2007. On 24 May 2008, Saladino achieved a new personal record. During the FBK-Games in Hengelo, Saladino jumped with his first attempt to 8.73m (+1.2 m/s wind).
He carried the flag for his native country at the opening ceremony of the 2007 Pan American Games
2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to July 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees competed in 332 events in 34 sports and in...
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On 30 August 2007 Saladino became the World Champion in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. He led with the mark of 8.30 metres from his second attempt, then improved to 8.46 m, until the penultimate jump of the contest, when he was overtaken by Andrew Howe
Andrew Howe
Andrew Howe is an Italian athlete who specializes in the long jump. He won this event as well as the 200 metres at the 2004 World Junior Championships. He was successful at senior level at a young age, winning a long jump bronze at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships before becoming the...
who set as mark 8.47 m. Saladino was able to earn the gold medal on the last attempt of the contest, in which he jumped 8.57 m.
Saladino competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing, China, where he made history in Central America and his country, Panama, by winning the Gold Medal in the long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
competition on 18 August 2008, with a jump of 8.34 meters, giving Panama their first Olympic medal since 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...
, and their first gold ever. This is also the first Olympic gold medal ever won in a men's event by an athlete from Central America.
On 21 August 2008 after winning Olympic gold, he arrived to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
a national hero. Government offices and public schools were closed in honor of him so that public servants were able to attend a parade through Panama City. At a welcoming ceremony, Panamanian boxing legend Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
presented the Olympic gold medal to Irving Saladino for a second time. Martin Torrijos
Martín Torrijos
Martín Erasto Torrijos Espino is a Panamanian politician and the former President of the Republic of Panama.Torrijos was elected President on May 2, 2004...
, President of Panama, announced a decree to name a sports facility in the Villa Deportiva in Juan Díaz after Saladino and granted a check to him for 50,000 U.S. dollars. Also, Ruben Blades
Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres...
performed the song "Patria" (Motherland) in front of thousands of cheering Panamanians.
Achievements
| Representing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | South American Championships | Barquisimeto Barquisimeto Barquisimeto is the capital city of the State of Lara located in west central Venezuela, halfway between Caracas and Maracaibo on the Turbio River.-Overview:... , Venezuela Venezuela Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south... |
3rd | 7.46 m |
| 2006 | World Indoor Championships 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 11th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations was held in Moscow from March 10 to March 12, 2006 in the Olimpiyski Sport arena.... |
Moscow, Russia | 2nd | 8.29 m (AR) |
| Central American and Caribbean Games Athletics at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games The athletics competition at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games took place at the Estadio Pedro de Heredia in Cartagena, Colombia and lasted from July 25 to July 29. There were 23 events for men and 21 for women... |
Cartagena, Colombia Cartagena, Colombia Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department... |
1st | ||
| 2007 | Pan American Games 2007 Pan American Games The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to July 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees competed in 332 events in 34 sports and in... |
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 1st | 8.28 m |
| World Championships 2007 World Championships in Athletics - Men's long jump The Men's Long Jump event at the 2007 World Championships took place on August 29, 2007 and August 30, 2007 at the Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan. There were a total number of 34 competing athletes from 25 countries.-Medallists:... |
Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan |
1st | 8.57 m (AR) | |
| 2008 | FBK Games | 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:... |
1st | 8.73 m (AR) |
| Olympic Games | Beijing, PR China | 1st | 8.34 m | |
| 2009 | World Championships 2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's long jump The men's long jump at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on 20 and 22 August. The season had seen a number of athletes performing to a high level before the championships, with reigning World and Olympic champion Irving Saladino. The other athlete to jump... |
Berlin, Germany | — | NM 2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's long jump The men's long jump at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on 20 and 22 August. The season had seen a number of athletes performing to a high level before the championships, with reigning World and Olympic champion Irving Saladino. The other athlete to jump... |