Arturo Barrios facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Arturo Barrios

Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing Mexico
Pan American Games
Gold	1987 Indianapolis	5000 metres
Gold	1991 Havana	5000 metres
CAC Junior Championships (U20)
Gold	1980 Nassau	1500 m
Gold	1980 Nassau	5000 m
Gold	1980 Nassau	10,000 m
Pan American Junior Championships
Gold	1980 Sudbury	5000 m
Bronze	1980 Sudbury	2000 m s'chase

Arturo Barrios Flores (born December 12, 1962, in Mexico City) is a famous long-distance runner. He has competed for both Mexico and the United States. Arturo is known for setting amazing world records in running. He held the world record for the 10,000-meter race in 1989. He also set world records for the one-hour run and the 20,000-meter race in 1991.

Arturo Barrios' Running Career

Arturo Barrios had a very successful career as a long-distance runner. He competed in many important races around the world. His dedication helped him achieve several top finishes and set new records.

Olympic Games and World Records

Arturo Barrios competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics. He finished fifth in the 10,000-meter race. This was a great achievement at such a high-level event.

On August 18, 1989, Arturo set a new world record for the 10,000 meters. He ran the race in 27 minutes and 8.23 seconds. This happened at a big event in Berlin, Germany. His record stood for four years until 1993.

Arturo's 10,000-meter time was also the North American record for many years. It remained the fastest time ever run by a Mexican athlete. This is still the Mexican national record today.

More World Records and Achievements

On March 30, 1991, Arturo Barrios set two more world records. He ran 21.101 kilometers in one hour. This is known as the one-hour run record. During this same run, he also set a record for 20,000 meters. He completed 20,000 meters in 56 minutes and 55.6 seconds.

These records were not broken until 2007. Arturo's one-hour run was special. He was the first person to run a half-marathon distance in less than an hour. This was a huge milestone in running history. These times are still the North American records and Mexican records for these events.

In 1992, Arturo competed in the 1992 IAAF World Cup. He ran the 5000-meter race. He finished in second place with a time of 13 minutes and 50.95 seconds.

Winning the Bay to Breakers Race

Between 1987 and 1990, Arturo won the San Francisco Bay to Breakers race four times in a row. This race is very popular. It is considered one of the largest footraces in the world. Winning it four times in a row shows how dominant he was.

College Life and Later Years

Arturo Barrios went to Texas A&M University. He graduated in 1985. While there, he was a star athlete. He competed in track and cross country for the Texas A&M Aggies. In 1998, he was honored for his achievements. He was inducted into the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame.

Arturo became a United States citizen in September 1994. For many years, there was a special running event named after him. The Arturo Barrios Invitational 5K and 10K races were held in Chula Vista, California. These races started in 1989 and continued until 2006.

Arturo Barrios' Best Running Times

These are Arturo Barrios' fastest times in different running events. These are called his personal records.

Major Achievements

Arturo Barrios won many medals representing Mexico.

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing Mexico
1980	Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U-20)	Nassau, Bahamas	1st	1500 m	3:49.8
			1st	5000 m	14:26.4
			1st	10000 m	31:20.4
1988	Ibero-American Championships	Ciudad de México, México	1st	5000m	14:10.72 A