Alberto Juantorena

Alberto Juantorena, known as El Caballo, or The Horse, began as a basketball player but was discovered as a sprinter and competed at the 1972 Olympics, making the semi-finals of the 400 metres. In 1973, Juantorena won the 400 at the World University Games and in 1975 won two silver medals - 400 metres and 4×400 metres relay (with Eddy Gutiérrez, Carlos Álvarez, and Dámaso Alfonso) - at the Pan American Games. In 1976 he increased his range and won the 400 and 800 at the Montréal Olympics, the 800 in a world-record time of 1:43.50 and the 400 in a low-altitude world record of 44.26. In 1977, Juantorena won the 400 and 800 at the first World Cup of Athletics, and in that year set another world record in the 800, running 1:43.44 in Sofia at the World University Games. In 1979 he won again silver in 400 metres and bronze with the 4×400 metres relay team (with Carlos Álvarez and the non-Olympians Pedro Tanis and Frank Montiéh) at the Pan American Games. At the Central American and Caribbean Games, Juantorena won the 400 in both 1974 and 1978, and the 800 in 1978 and 1982.

He was World Ranked #1 in the 400 in 1974, 1976, 1977, and 1978, and in the 800 in 1976-77, and was voted World Athlete of the Year in 1976 and 1977. Juantorena competed at the 1980 Olympics with less success and competed at the first World Athletics Championships in 1983, where he broke his foot after finishing his heat in the first round of the 800 when he stepped on the inner track border, after which he retired from competition. He has since become the Vice-Minister of Sports in Cuba.

Personal Bests: 400 – 44.26 (1976); 800 – 1:43.44 (1977).