Álvaro Mejía (athlete)

Álvaro Mejía Florez (15 May 1940 – 12 January 2021) was a long-distance runner from Colombia, who became a national hero after competing in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games 5,000 meter.

Álvaro Mejía
Personal information
Born(1940-05-15)15 May 1940
Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Died12 January 2021(2021-01-12) (aged 80)
Bogotá, Colombia
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Colombia
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place 1971 Cali 10,000 m
Central American and Caribbean Games
Gold medal – first place 1962 Kingston 1,500 metres
Gold medal – first place 1966 San Juan 1,500 metres
Gold medal – first place 1966 San Juan 5,000 metres
Gold medal – first place 1966 San Juan 10,000 metres
Bolivarian Games
Gold medal – first place 1965 Quito 1500 m
Gold medal – first place 1965 Quito 5000 m
Gold medal – first place 1965 Quito 10,000 m
Silver medal – second place 1961 Barranquilla 800 m
Silver medal – second place 1961 Barranquilla 1500 m

Mejía competed in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics in the 10,000 meters, where he placed tenth, and in the 1972 Munich Olympics, where he ran the marathon. Mejía also won the 1971 Boston Marathon in two hours, eighteen minutes and 45 seconds. He won a bronze medal at the 1971 Pan American Games in the 10,000 metres. Mejía won the Saint Silvester Road Race in 1966.

In 1971, the 75th edition of the Boston Marathon had one of the closest finishes ever, as Mejía dueled almost the entire way with Pat McMahon, a native of Ireland and local Massachusetts resident. Mejía finally pulled away from McMahon less than 150 yards from the finish, clocking 2:18:45, just five seconds ahead of McMahon. He was the first winner from South America.

Coming to America

edit

Mejía was married to Terri Stickles, the American bronze medalist in the 400 meter freestyle swim in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. Stickles brought Mejía to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1969. They met in Cali, Colombia, where Terri was a Peace Corps volunteer.

From 1969 until 1985, Mejía dispensed running advice along with running shoes and apparel at a sporting goods store ("Olympic Sports") he owned with Stickles in San Mateo, California. During the 1970s, he competed as a member of the local West Valley Track Club (WVTC), at a time when the club often dominated team competition in Northern California. Several Colombian runners followed Mejía to train in Northern California and compete alongside Mejia for WVTC, including Víctor Mora, who placed second in the 1972 Boston Marathon. Mejia has one son, Christopher Mejia, born in 1971 (lives in San Francisco).

Achievements

edit
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing   Colombia
1961 Bolivarian Games Barranquilla, Colombia 2nd 800 m 1:55.5
2nd 1500 m 4:02.7
1965 Bolivarian Games Quito, Ecuador 1st 1500 m 3:57.2 A
1st 5000 m 15:00.9 A
1st 10,000 m 32:22.5 A
1971 Boston Marathon Boston, United States 1st Marathon 2:18:45

Coaching

edit

Mejía coached Colombian athletes including Alirio Carrasco, of Bogotá, who ran 2:12:09 at the Chicago Marathon in 2003.

Death

edit

Mejía died in Bogotá on 12 January 2021 at the age of 80.[1]

References

edit
edit