Adhemar Ferreira da Silva became the second sportspeople in Brazil to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games when he won the jump triple at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki (Finland).

Rossana De Los Rios is a famous Paraguayan tennis player. She was junior world champion in 1992. Rossana is married to Gustavo Alfredo Neffa, who was a soccer football player. She once said, ” I could have come very far in tennis. In 1992 I won the Junior Roland Garros but I made decisions and I am happy with my life. [Gustavo] Played soccer in the leagues of Italy and Argentina, with the national team and in the Olympic Games and he was good in that, but now he talks more about tennis. The times changed for the women and he helps me to be able to play calm. Now my goal is to return to the top 100. I am well, but for two years I had knee and wrist injuries and I had to come back from that. Perhaps I will retire in a few years and then I would like to help so that the Paraguayan girls are developed and are able to have a future, but by then if I am in the top 30 maybe I will defer that project”. This sportswoman was born on September 16, 1975 in Asuncion, the capital city of Paraguay. Currently, she resides in the United States.

Francisco Cabañas became to first Mexican boxer to win an Olympic medal. He won a silver medal at the Los Angeles Games in 1932 .

Claudia Poll Ahrens (Costa Rica) became only the first Latin American female swimmer in the history of the Olympic Games to win two individual medals at one Games ( Sydney’2000 ). She is the greatest Central American athlete of all time…

Luis Brunetto won the silver medal in the triple jump at the 1924 Paris Games. Argentina’s Brunetto became the first sportsperson to win an Olympic medal for his country.

The Brazilian men’s volleyball team won the World Cup in 2007. The champions were Rezende Bruno, Marcelo Elgarten, André Heller, Samuel Fuchs, Gilberto Godoy Filho, Murilo Andres, André Luiz da Silva Nascimento, Sergio Dutra Santos, Anderson Rodrigues, Gustavo Endres, Rodrigo Santana, Dante Guimaraes Amaral.

Xavier Moreno and Jefferson Perez won gold medals at the Rio Pan American Games in 2007. The runners are sporting heroes in Ecuador now…

Cali (Colombia) hosted the FIBA Basketball Women’s World Cup in 1975. Final standings: 1.USSR / Soviet Union ( currently Russia ), 2.Japan, 3.Czechoslovakia ( currently Czech Republic / Slovak Republic ), 4.Italy, 5.South Korea, 6. Mexico, 7.Colombia, 8. United States, 9. Hungary, 10.Australia, 11.Canada, 12.Brazil, 13.Senegal.

The most popular sports in Mexico are soccer, wrestling, basketball, baseball, athletics, basque pelote, underwater sports, tennis, martial arts, boxing, cycling and equestrian.

Jeanette Campbell ( Argentina / swimmer ) was the first Latin American female athlete who won the Olympic medal. She won the silver medal in the 100m freestyle at the 1936 Berlin Games.

Brazil sent 10 athletes to the 2006 Winter Games in Turin ( Italy ). The Brazilian delegation had athletes competing in 4 sports: alpine skiing, bobsleigh, cross country skiing and snowboarding.

Paraguay has had many famous athletes. Who they are: Jose Luis Chilavert ( soccer / one of the best goalkeepers in the 1990s ), Victor Manuel Pecci ( tennis ), Nery Kennedy ( track and field / South American champion ), Carlos Gamarra ( Olympic football silver medalist, 2004 ), Ramon Jimenez Gaona ( athletics / South American champion)…

Baseball is the national sport of Panama…

Francisco “Morochito” Rodriguez (boxer) is the only Venezuelan sportspeople to win an Olympic gold medal. Francisco was born on September 20, 1945 in Cumana, Venezuela (South America).

Montevideo (Uruguay) hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1930. Final standings: 1.Uruguay, 2.Argentina, 3.Yugoslavia (currently Serbia), 4.USA, 5.Chile, 6.Brazil, 7.France, 8.Paraguay, 9.Romania, 10.Peru, 11.Belgium, 12.Bolivia, 13.Mexico.

Gustavo Kuerten was one of the best tennis players in the world. He has won 28 international tournaments ( Saint Petersburg, Brazil Open, Auckland, Roland Garros, Monte Carlo, Acapulco, Rome, Hamburg, Cincinnati, Buenos Aires, Lisboa, Indianapolis…).

Fact File

Name: Gustavo Kuerten

Nickname: “Guga”

Nationality: Brazilian

Ancestry: German

Residence: Florianopolis, Santa Catarina ( Brazil )

Born : 10 / 9 / 1976

Height : 1.91m

Weight : 75 kg

Idol: Mahatma Gandhi (former human rights activist)

Favorite singer: Bob Marley

Favorite writer / author: Paulo Coehlo

Perfume: “Eternity” ( by Calvin Klein )

Best friends: Carlos Moya ( Spanish tennis player ), Nicolas Lapentti ( Ecuadorian tennis player ), Fernando Meligeni ( Brazilian player ).

Men’s Tennis Association Ranking ( 1997-2000 )

2000: 1

1999: 10

1998: 20

1997: 66

By: Alejandro Guevara Onofre

About the Author:

Did You Know…

The 2014 Central American & Caribbean Games will be held in Veracruz, Mexico.

Mexico competed in the Summer Olympic 20 times ( Paris-1900, Paris-1924, Amsterdam-1928, Los Angeles-1932, Berlin-1936, London-1948, Helsinki-1952, Melbourne-1956, Rome-1960. Tokyo-1964, Mexico City-1968, Munich-1972, Montreal-1976, Moscow-1980, Los Angeles-1984, Seoul-1988, Barcelona-1992, Atlanta-1996, Sydney-200 and Athens-2004).

Belem Guerrero is undoubtedly one of the best cyclists in the world.This Mexican sportswoman won a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics.

From 1975 to 1979, Olegario Vazquez was one of the best shooters in the world. He competed at the Pan American Games in 1975, where he won a gold medal (air rifle).

Derek Parra has Mexican ancestry. Who is Derek? He is one of the greatest American speed skaters in the 21st century. At he 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City (Utah,USA ), he finished first in the 1,500 metres.

Rafael Herrera Osuna won the US Open 1963 Men`s Singles Tournament defeating Frank Froehling. He was the first Mexican to win the American Open. Rafael also helped Mexico reached the finals of Davis Cup.

Mexico hosted at the FIVB Volleyball Men´s World Championship.The host country finished in 10th place.

From 1986 to 1994, Arturo Barrios was a famous Mexican runner. At the World Track and Field Cup in 1992, he finished second in the 5,000 metres. He also competed for his home country at the Olympic Games in 1988 and 1992. However, he became an American citizen in 1994.

Liliana Allen Doll became a Mexican citizen and competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. This sprinter won two gold medals at the 2002 Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador (El Salvador). She was born on May 24, 1970 in Holguin, Cuba. She represented Cuba in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.

Like Ana Mozer (Brazil), Luisa Fuentes (Peru) and Debbie Green (United States), Blanca Garcia was one of the best volleyball players in the 1970s and 1980s.

The 10th Summer Universiade, which took place from 2nd to 13rd September 1979 in Mexico City, comprised a programme of 10 Olympic sports. 712 sportswomen participated in the Games.The host country won 5 medals.Overall, Mexico ranked 14th ,after the USSR, USA, Romania, West Germany, East Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Italy, Hungary, Holland, Poland, Czechoslovakia and France.

From 1948 to 1968, Mexico won six Olympic gold medals.The Olympic champions were:Antonio Roldan (boxing), Humberto Mariles (equestrian), Joaquin Capilla (diving), Felipe Muñoz (swimming), Ruben Uriza (equestrian), Ricardo Delgado (boxing) and Humberto Valdes (equestrian).

This country won 107 gold medals at the XX Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia).

Mexico won the NORCECA Women´s Continental Championship in 1971 in Havana, Cuba. It also won the gold medal at the 1970 Central American & Caribbean Games in Panama City.

The Mexican women’s basketball team finished 6th at the World Championship in 1975 in Cali (Colombia).Furthermore, they won the silver medal at the Pan American Games in Mexico City.Cristina Betancourt and Pilar Saavedra were the best Mexican players.

Mexico sent only one sportsman to the Winter Olympics in Norway in 1994.

Fernando Platas was the flag bearer of the Mexican Olympic team at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens (Greece). Who is Fernando Platas? Like Joaquin Capilla, Alvaro Gaxiola and Carlos Giron, he is a diver.He won two gold medals at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata (Argentina). This Mexican is considered one of the greatest divers in the Third World.

Adriana Fernandez Miranda is one of the best runners in Latin America.At the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), she placed first in the 5,000m and 10,000m events. She was born on March 4, 1971 in Mexico City.

This country sent 209 athletes to the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. The Mexican team had athletes competing in : athletics (12), boxing (8), Wrestling (11), judo (3), weightlifting (3), gymnastics (15), cycling (8), shooting (12), archery (9), fencing (6), equestrian (12), modern pentathlon (4), swimming (38), soccer (19), field hockey (18), rowing (12), kayak (10) and sailing (9).

The I Central American & Caribbean Games were held in Mexico in 1926. The best Mexican sportspeople were Mariano Aguilar (athletics), Juan de Icaza (swimming),Manuel Guzman (track and field), Luis Scherer (swimming) and Alfonso Unda (tennis).

The Mexican water polo team finished 9th at the 1975 FINA World Cup in Cali, Colombia.This team won the gold medal at the VII Pan American Games.

Oscar De la Hoya has Mexican origin. This famous American boxer won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Spain.

Ana Gabriela Guevara Espinoza is the greatest Mexican sportswoman of all time.She has been a member of the Mexico national team since 1997.Ana was named Mexico’s Athlete of 2003.Certainly, she is an idol in the United Mexican States. For many reasons, she has contributed greatly to the development of sport in her country. Ana has won several international medals in the 1990s and the 2000s.

Top performances:

1998: Central American & Caribbean Games- 2nd 800m ,2nd 400m

1999: Pan American Games-1st 400m

2001:World Championship-3rd 400m

2002: Central American & Caribbean Games- 1st- 400m, 1st-4x400m relay

2003: World Championship-1st 400m; Pan American Games-1st 400m

2004: Olympic Games-2nd 400m

2005: World Championship-3rd 400m

2006: Central American & Caribbean Games- 1st- 400m, 1st-4x400m relay

2007: World Championship-4th 400, 8th 4x40m relay; Pan American Games-1st 400m, 2nd 4x400m relay.

By: Alejandro Guevara Onofre

About the Author: