Álvaro Mejía (athlete)

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Álvaro Mejía (runner)
)
In this
Spanish name, the first or paternal surname
is Mejía and the second or maternal family name is Florez.
Álvaro Mejía
Personal information
Born(1940-05-15)15 May 1940
Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Died12 January 2021(2021-01-12) (aged 80)
Bogotá, Colombia
Medal record
Men's
athletics
Representing  Colombia
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place 1971 Cali 10,000 m
Central American and Caribbean Games
Gold medal – first place 1962 Kingston 1,500 metres
Gold medal – first place 1966 San Juan 1,500 metres
Gold medal – first place 1966 San Juan 5,000 metres
Gold medal – first place 1966 San Juan 10,000 metres
Bolivarian Games
Gold medal – first place 1965 Quito 1500 m
Gold medal – first place 1965 Quito 5000 m
Gold medal – first place 1965 Quito 10,000 m
Silver medal – second place 1961 Barranquilla 800 m
Silver medal – second place 1961 Barranquilla 1500 m

Álvaro Mejía Florez (15 May 1940 – 12 January 2021) was a

long-distance runner from Colombia, who became a national hero after competing in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games 5,000 meter
.

Mejía competed in the

10,000 meters, where he placed tenth, and in the 1972 Munich Olympics, where he ran the marathon. Mejía also won the 1971 Boston Marathon in two hours, eighteen minutes and 45 seconds. He won a bronze medal at the 1971 Pan American Games in the 10,000 metres. Mejía won the Saint Silvester Road Race
in 1966.

1971 Boston Marathon winner

In 1971, the 75th edition of the Boston Marathon had one of the closest finishes ever, as Mejía dueled almost the entire way with Pat McMahon, a native of Ireland and local Massachusetts resident. Mejía finally pulled away from McMahon less than 150 yards from the finish, clocking 2:18:45, just five seconds ahead of McMahon. He was the first winner from South America.

Coming to America

Mejía was married to

Cali, Colombia, where Terri was a Peace Corps
volunteer.

From 1969 until 1985, Mejía dispensed running advice along with running shoes and apparel at a sporting goods store ("Olympic Sports") he owned with Stickles in

Víctor Mora
, who placed second in the 1972 Boston Marathon. Mejia has one son, Christopher Mejia, born in 1971 (lives in San Francisco).

Achievements

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  Colombia
1961 Bolivarian Games Barranquilla, Colombia 2nd 800 m 1:55.5
2nd 1500 m 4:02.7
1965 Bolivarian Games Quito, Ecuador 1st 1500 m 3:57.2 A
1st 5000 m 15:00.9 A
1st 10,000 m 32:22.5 A
1971 Boston Marathon
Boston, United States
 1st Marathon 2:18:45

Coaching

Mejía coached Colombian athletes including Alirio Carrasco, of Bogotá, who ran 2:12:09 at the Chicago Marathon in 2003.

Death

Mejía died in Bogotá on 12 January 2021 at the age of 80.[1]

References

  1. ^ Murió Álvaro Mejía Flórez, exponente del atletismo colombiano (in Spanish)

External links


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