Javier Zapata

Javier de Jesús Zapata Cuartas Villada (born October 17, 1969 in Ibagué, Tolima) is a Colombian biketrial rider who performs the sport of biketrial, a sport that is little known internationally but very popular in Colombia. Zapata is arguably the sport's most visible performer. He was a professional road cyclist from 1993 to 2000.

Zapata was the first person to get a biketrial bike in Colombia, which was specially manufactured for him by the GT manufacturing company there. Having been an expert BMX racer, Zapata, who placed 5th at the BMX world championships once and ran at BMX tournaments for eight years, quickly became used to the new type of bike he was riding, and decided to dedicate himself to promote his new sport in Colombia.

Zapata then toured all over Colombia, performing at multiple shows and earning money for each of his presentations. His stunts impressed many; he would use some of the first money he used to travel to Spain, where he came in fifth place at biketrial's first world championship. Later on, he went to Barcelona, where he entered the Guinness Book of Records by using his bike to climb the stairs of the tallest building of that city all the way to the top, without ever using his feet. Zapata later on travelled to Japan, where he once again climbed the stairs of some buildings with his bike, without using his feet.

In 2001, he returned to Barcelona, once again to participate at the world championships. Back in Colombia, he formed the Zapata Biketrial company, which sells products for biketrial championships. Zapata hopes to organize a national biketrial association in Colombia.

Zapata created a biketrial school in Medellín. He also performed a stunt show during half-time of a Copa Libertadores football game between Colombia and Ecuador in 2003.

Javier Zapata is a professional biketrial rider. Hewas born in Medellín, Colombia and he is the onlyColombian athlete that has achieved four GuinnessWorld Records. His latest Guinness World Record wasachieved in Mexico City in 2003. He climbed up in hisbike the 1318 stairs of Torre Mayor, the tallestbuilding in Latin America. His other Guinness WorldRecords were obtained in Caracas (Venezuela), Bogotaand Medellin (Colombia). In 2006 he obtained a newNational Record jumping on his bike over the largestnumber of persons (23 persons).

He began his sport career at age nine. Back then hewas a BMX rider and he won numerous national andinternational championships. In 1995 he began hiscareer as a biketrial rider and he has promoted thissport throughout Colombia.

Javier Zapata lives in Medellin where he runs his ownbiketrial school and his own brand ZAPATABIKES whichproduces bikes and accessories. He rides a Monty 221Ti Full disc 2007 Hope Monotrial, Zapatabikes MTB

References

* [http://www.zapatabikes.com Zapata Bikes]
* [http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/za/javier-zapata-1.html sports-reference]