Alfonso Cabello facts for kids
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| Nationality | Spanish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 19 September 1993 La Rambla |
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| Country |  Spain |
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| Sport | Paralympic cycling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Men's individual C 4 5 Road Race, Men's individual C.4-5 1 km, Mixed C1 to 5 Team Sprint | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Vipren, Cadiz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Salvador Cabeza de Vaca | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Alfonso Cabello Llamas (born September 19, 1993) is a talented Spanish Paralympic cyclist. He is famous for winning gold medals at the Paralympic Games. Alfonso has won the men's 1 km time trial C4–5 event twice. He won it at the 2012 London Paralympics and again at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. In Tokyo, he even set a new world record!
Contents
Alfonso Cabello's Early Life
Alfonso Cabello was born on September 19, 1993, in La Rambla, Spain. He was born without his left hand. His mother made sure that this would not stop him from doing anything. She taught him to tie his shoelaces by himself, using only one hand.
Sports as a Kid
As a child, Alfonso played other sports like basketball and swimming. Swimming was very helpful. It improved his body balance. This made it easier for him to use his right hand and his left arm stump. His teachers sometimes told him he didn't need to meet the same standards as other students. But Alfonso always worked hard.
Awards and Support
In 2008, Alfonso was recognized at a special event for athletes with physical disabilities. In 2009, he received a scholarship from the Andalucía Olympic Foundation. This scholarship helps young athletes from his region.
In 2013, a Spanish insurance company became a sponsor of the Spanish Paralympic Committee. This helps fund Spanish athletes with disabilities. Alfonso attended the event to show his support. Also in 2013, he received the gold Real Orden al Mérito Deportivo. This is a very important award for sports achievements in Spain.
Alfonso Cabello's Cycling Career
When Alfonso first learned to ride a bicycle, he found a clever way to use the brakes. He used the stump of his left arm to control them. His first bike race was just for fun, an exhibition. But soon, he started competing in real races.
Early Competitions
In May 2008, he took part in an international cycling event for people with disabilities in France. Later that year, he competed in the European Cup Adapted Cycling. He finished sixteenth in a 56.4-kilometer race. In 2011, he won first place at the Spanish national disability cycling track championship.
World Championships and Paralympics
Alfonso competed in the World Championships in 2011. At the 2012 Paralympic Cycling World Championships in Los Angeles, he won a bronze medal. This was in the C5 km race, and he set his best time ever. He also raced in the team sprint event.
He won a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom. This was in the Men's 1 km time trial C4-5. He even broke the world record for the C5 category, which was held by Jon-Allan Butterworth. This gold medal was the first one Spain won at the 2012 Games!
There was a small issue in that race. Another cyclist, Jody Cundy, was disqualified for a false start. He said it was because of a problem with the starting gate. But Alfonso's win was confirmed. Alfonso won another gold medal in the same event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo. He set a new world record time of 1:01.557. This was the first time his rival, Jody Cundy, had his time beaten in the Paralympics.
See also
In Spanish: Alfonso Cabello para niños
