- Pablo Restrepo
Pablo Restrepo (born
May 26 ,1960 inMedellín ) is a formerColombia n swimmer, the only Colombian ever to reach an Olympic final in swimming. Abreaststroke specialist, after being an outstanding Colombian junior champion, he travelled to the U.S. and enlisted inSouthern Illinois University .He participated in the Central American and Caribbean Games in his city Medellin (1978) but the
Pan American Games in 1979 inSan Juan, Puerto Rico showed to Colombia and South America what he was able to do: He got bronze in 200 m breaststroke.In 1980, in Moscow Olympics, he got, for first time for him and for a Colombian swimmer, the 100 m final. He finished seventh in 1.05.91 (more than two seconds behind the winner
Duncan Goodhew ). But the hope for an Olympic medal began in Guayaquil -82 (World Championships) when he got the fifth place in the 200 m.The announce of the communist countries boycott to Los Angeles 84 fit with his great results in the following
1983 Pan American Games (Caracas). He finished third in 100 m and second in 200 m. After those games he went to Canada and trained very hard but he just got a sixth place in the 200 m in Los Angeles 84. However, his performance (2.18.96) is still the Colombian national record.Although he announced his retirement and came back from North America, appeared again for the
1986 Central American and Caribbean Games (St. Domingo, Dominican Rep.) with a silver medal (behind the Cuban Hernández). That result, but even more his new world championship final in Spain (in 1986 too) made him to return with the idea of the Olympic medal.He got the gold in the 100 m in the South American Championships(over the Brazilian Tortelli) in may of 1988 but He failed to get his third Olympic final in Seoul that same year.
Despite the level of Colombian swimming is not from world class, even is surprising that he is still (June 2008) the owner of the breaststroke (100 and 200 m) national records: 1.03.89 in 100 m (Caracas 83) and 2.18.96 in 200 m (Los Angeles 84).
Today, he is dedicated to his businesses and to teach swimming in his academy. He remains participating in swimming competitions and, showing a great longevity, he got the silver medal in 100 m. breaststroke in the 2003 Colombia National Championships, being at least 24 years older than the winner Diego Bonilla.
References
* [http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/re/pablo-restrepo-1.html Profile]
*"Acuanoticias Sept. 1983" (Medellin)
*"Sports 123.com" (web)
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