Alejandro Gómez (runner) facts for kids

Alejandro Gómez Cabral was a famous Spanish runner.

Alejandro Gómez Cabral (born April 11, 1967, in Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain – died January 31, 2021) was a well-known Spanish long-distance runner. He was especially good at marathon races and cross-country running.

About Alejandro Gómez

Alejandro Gómez started running at a very young age. He quickly became a top athlete in Spain. He set national records for young runners in different distances. These included the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters races. He also set records in the 3,000 meters steeplechase.

He won many national championships in Spain. He was a champion in cross-country running as a youth. He also won titles in the 5,000 meters and 3,000 meters steeplechase. As an adult, he became a Spanish champion many times. He won in the 10,000 meters, half marathon, and cross-country events.

International Races

Alejandro Gómez represented Spain in many big international competitions. He competed in the Olympic Games three times.

• In 1988, he ran the 5,000 meters in Seoul.
• In 1992, he ran the 10,000 meters in Barcelona.
• In 1996, he ran the 10,000 meters in Atlanta. He finished 15th in the final.

He also took part in the World Athletics Championships.

• In 1991, he was 9th in the 10,000 meters final in Tokyo.
• In 1995, he finished 16th in the 10,000 meters in Gothenburg.
• In 1999, he ran the marathon in Seville.

Alejandro Gómez came close to winning medals at the European Athletics Championships. He finished 5th in the marathon in Budapest in 1998. He was 6th in the marathon in Munich in 2002.

He often competed in the World Cross Country Championships. In 1989, his team won third place. He also won a silver medal at the European Cross Country Championship in 1995. His team became European champions that year.

In the World Half Marathon Championships, he finished 8th in Palma de Mallorca. His team also won second place. He was part of a strong Spanish marathon team in the late 1990s. He helped his team win second place in the European Cup in 1998.

Alejandro Gómez set a Spanish record for the marathon in 1997. He finished second in the Rotterdam marathon with a time of 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 54 seconds. This was a very fast time.

Sadly, Alejandro Gómez faced a serious health challenge in June 2020. He passed away on January 31, 2021.

Achievements

Here are some of Alejandro Gómez's top achievements in major competitions:

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  Spain
1985	European Junior Championships	Cottbus, East Germany	13th	3000 m	8:18.42
	World Cross Country Championships	Lisbon, Portugal	16th	Junior race	23:30
1986	World Junior Championships	Athens, Greece	2nd	5000 m	13:55.94
	World Cross Country Championships	Neuchatel, Switzerland	8th	Junior race	23:17
1987	World Cross Country Championships	Warsaw, Poland	114th	Long race	38:48
1988	World Cross Country Championships	Auckland, New Zealand	24th	Long race	36:24
1989	World Cross Country Championships	Stavanger, Norway	6th	Long race	40:29
			5th	Team	189 pts
1990	World Cross Country Championships	Aix-les-Bains, France	32rd	Senior race (12.2 km)	35:24
			3rd	Team	176 pts
	European Championships	Split, Yugoslavia	10th	10,000m	28:16.06
1991	World Cross Country Championships	Antwerp, Belgium	14th	Long race (11.764 km)	34:36
			3rd	Team	198 pts
1992	World Half Marathon Championships	Newcastle, United Kingdom	9th	Half marathon	1:01:20
1995	World Cross Country Championships	Durham, England	28th	Senior race (12.02 km)	35:30
			3rd	Team	120 pts
1996	Olympic Games	Atlanta, United States	15th	10,000 m	28:39.11
	World Half Marathon Championships	Palma de Mallorca, Spain	8th	Half marathon	1:02:47
			2nd	Team	3:08:36
1998	European Championships	Budapest, Hungary	5th	Marathon	2:13:23
1999	World Championships	Seville, Spain	40th	Marathon	2:26:40
2002	European Championships	Munich, Germany	6th	Marathon	2:13:40
2003	World Championships	Paris, France	—	Marathon	DNF

Personal Best Times

These are the fastest times Alejandro Gómez ran in different races:

• 1500 metres - 3 minutes, 39.18 seconds (1991)
• 3000 metres - 7 minutes, 47.7 seconds (1989)
• 3000 metres steeplechase - 8 minutes, 33.6 seconds (1989)
• 5000 metres - 13 minutes, 20.91 seconds (1989)
• 10,000 metres - 27 minutes, 39.38 seconds (1993)
• Half marathon - 1 hour, 1 minute, 20 seconds (1992)
• Marathon - 2 hours, 7 minutes, 54 seconds (1997)

See also

In Spanish: Alejandro Gómez (atleta) para niños