- Herlander Coimbra
Herlander Fernandes Silva Coimbra (born
June 16 ,1968 inLuanda ) is a retiredAngola nbasketball player. A 6’7”, 168-pound forward, he played on Angola’s 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic basketball teams.Coimbra is perhaps best known for his confrontation with American player
Charles Barkley during the 1992Barcelona games. Coimbra had hit Barkley while jockeying for position underneath the basket, and Barkley retaliated by elbowing Coimbra in the chest. Barkley later said, “Somebody hits me, I’m going to hit him back – even if it does look like he hasn’t eaten in a while” [ [http://content.gannettonline.com/gns/olympics/20040824-50936.html http://content.gannettonline.com/gns/olympics/20040824-50936.html] . Retrieved 22 August 2006.] .Though Barkley drew criticism for his actions and words, Coimbra took everything with good humor and actually struck up a friendship with his American opponent. Barkley later told reporters, “He came looking for me in 1996 in Atlanta to say hello. He said, ‘You made me a big star in my country.’ We’ve had a nice bond” [ibid. ] . Coimbra’s two-time Olympic teammate
Angelo Victoriano also said, “Every time we go to the States, we meet Charles Barkley. He’s very supportive of us” [ibid. ] .Notes
References
* [http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/co/herlander-coimbra-1.html Profile]
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