Alberto Juantorena

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Medal record
Juantorena (right) at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics.
Men’s athletics
Gold	1976 Montreal	400 m
Gold	1976 Montreal	800 m

Alberto Juantorena Danger (born 3 December 1950) is a former Cuban track athlete. At the 1976 Summer Olympics, White Lightning 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).

He 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, but few thought he was a serious 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.

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 800m. Juantorena later served as the Vice Minister of Sports for Cuba.

[edit] External Links and References

Cuba Portal

• Alberto Juantorena at Olympic.org
• Alberto Juantorena at iaaf.org

Records
Preceded by Marcello Fiasconaro	Men's 800 metres World Record Holder 1976-07-16 – 1979-07-05	Succeeded by Sebastian Coe
Awards
Preceded by João Carlos de Oliveira	United Press International Athlete of the Year 1976 – 1977	Succeeded by Henry Rono
Preceded by John Walker	Men's Track & Field Athlete of the Year 1976 – 1977	Succeeded by Henry Rono
Sporting positions
Preceded by Mike Boit	Men's 800 metres Best Year Performance 1976 – 1977	Succeeded by Olaf Beyer