From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alberto Juantorena Danger (born 3 December
1950) is a Cuban 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.
External links and
references
| Persondata |
| NAME |
Juantorena, Alberto |
| ALTERNATIVE
NAMES |
Alberto Juantorena Danger |
| SHORT
DESCRIPTION |
Cuban track athlete |
| DATE OF BIRTH |
3 December 1950 |
| PLACE OF
BIRTH |
Santiago
de Cuba |
| DATE OF DEATH |
|
| PLACE OF
DEATH |
|
Marcello
Fiasconaro
Sebastian
Coe
João Carlos de
Oliveira
Henry Rono
John Walker
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