Ovidio de Jesús
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ovidio de Jesús Vargas | |||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Puerto Rican | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | 6 February 1933 Río Grande, Puerto Rico | |||||||||||||||||
| Died | 3 October 2011 (aged 78) San Juan, Puerto Rico | |||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 66 kg (146 lb) | |||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||
Event(s) | 400m hurdles, 4×400m | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Ovidio de Jesús Vargas (6 February 1933 – 3 October 2011)[1] was a Puerto Rican sprinter.
Career
His international career began it in the 1954 Central American and Caribbean Games in Mexico City, Mexico conquering their first medals, silver in the 4 x 400 meters, relay bronze in the 400 meters and fourth in the 400 m safety fences. His consecration in the CAC games, became in the 1959 Central American and Caribbean Games in Caracas, Venezuela, winning three gold medals and be with his partner, Manuel Rivera, the top figures of the delegation. Their gold medals came in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 53.42, beating out the favorite, the Venezuelan Víctor Maldonado. His second gold was dramatic, overcome in the goal to its arch-rival, Iván Rodríguez in the 400 meters.
Ovidio De Jesus was one of 23 members of the first delegation of Puerto Rico in the 1955 Pan American Games held in Mexico City, Mexico by participating in the 400 meters and the relay of 4 x 400 meters that arrived in fourth place, losing the bronze medal at the finish line with Venezuela. Four years later, at the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago, Illinois competing in the 400 and 400 m hurdles.
He competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia and in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy.[2]
Landmarks
In Río Grande, Puerto Rico, its main outdoor stadium, the Ovidio de Jesús Ballpark, is named after him.
International competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Puerto Rico | |||||
| 1954 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Mexico City, Mexico | 3rd | 400 m | 48.27 |
| 2nd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:17.70 | |||
| 1955 | Pan American Games | Mexico City, Mexico | 14th (h) | 400 m | 49.97 |
| 4th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:16.38 | |||
| 1956 | Olympic Games | Melbourne, Australia | 20th (h) | 400 m hurdles | 54.0 |
| 12th (h) | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:13.8 | |||
| 1959 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Caracas, Venezuela | 1st | 400 m | 48.73 |
| 1st | 400 m hurdles | 53.42 | |||
| 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:16.91 | |||
| Pan American Games | Chicago, United States | 11th (sf) | 400 m | 52.5 | |
| – (h) | 400 m hurdles | DNF | |||
| 1960 | Olympic Games | Rome, Italy | 14th (h) | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:13.91 |
| Ibero-American Games | Santiago, Chile | 3rd | 400 m hurdles | 53.7 | |
| 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:12.8 | |||
| 1962 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Kingston, Jamaica | 6th | 400 m hurdles | 56.8 |
| 3rd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:15.8 | |||
Personal bests
- 400 metres – 47.8h (1956)
- 400 metres hurdles – 52.1h (1956)
References
- ^ "Fallece Ovidio de Jesús, destacado atleta de los años 50 y 60". primerahora.com. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ovidio de Jesús". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2011.