Francisco Fernández Ochoa facts for kids
| Alpine skier | ||||||||||||||||||||
Fernández Ochoa in October 2006
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| Disciplines | Downhill, Giant Slalom, Slalom, Combined |
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| Club | Club de Esquí Arroyomolinos, Madrid | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 25 February 1950 Madrid, Spain |
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| Died | 6 November 2006 (aged 56) Cercedilla, Spain |
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| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| World Cup debut | January 26, 1969 - (age 18) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | April 1980 - (age 30) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Olympics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams | 4 – (1968, 1972, 1976, 1980) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Medals | 1 (1 gold) | |||||||||||||||||||
| World Championships | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams | 7 – (1968-1980) includes 4 Olympics |
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| Medals | 2 (1 gold) | |||||||||||||||||||
| World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Seasons | 12 – (1969–1980) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 1 – (1 SL) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Podiums | 4 – (2 SL, 2 K) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Overall titles | 0 – (9th in 1975) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Discipline titles | 0 - (7th in 1975, slalom) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Francisco "Paquito" Fernández Ochoa (born February 25, 1950 – died November 6, 2006) was a famous alpine ski racer from Spain. He grew up in Cercedilla, a town north of Madrid, where his father ran a ski school. Paquito was the oldest of eight children, and many of his siblings also became ski racers. He was especially good at slalom skiing, which involves skiing quickly around poles or gates.
At just 21 years old, Paquito won a gold medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan. This made him the first and only person from Spain to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics.
A Skiing Family
Paquito was part of a very special skiing family. Five of his siblings also raced for the Spanish alpine ski team and competed in the Winter Olympics. His brothers, Luís and Juan Manuel, and sisters, Dolores and Blanca, were all talented skiers.
His sister Blanca was the only other Spanish skier to win an Olympic medal. She earned a bronze medal in the women's slalom at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. This shows how much skiing talent ran in the Fernández Ochoa family!
Paquito's Career Highlights
Paquito Fernández Ochoa started his international skiing career at age 17. His first big competition was the 1968 Winter Olympics. He competed in four Winter Olympics in total, from 1968 to 1980.
He won one World Cup race in his career. This was a slalom race in Zakopane, Poland, in 1974. He beat Gustav Thöni, a very strong skier from Italy, in this race.
At the 1974 World Championships, Paquito won a bronze medal in the slalom event. His best season was in 1975, where he finished 9th overall in the World Cup standings. He also placed 7th in the slalom standings that year.
Paquito retired from international skiing when he was 30 years old, after the 1980 World Cup season. He had four podium finishes (meaning he placed in the top 3) in World Cup races and finished in the top ten 30 times. After retiring from the World Cup, he continued to race professionally in North America for several seasons.
Later Life and Legacy
Francisco Fernández Ochoa passed away in November 2006 at the age of 56, due to cancer. Just a short time before he died, a statue was put up in his honor in his hometown of Cercedilla.
He was married to María Jesús Vargas and they had three children: Bárbara, Paula, and Francisco. To remember his amazing achievements, several places were named after him, including the Francisco Fernández Ochoa City Ice Rink in Valdemoro and the Francisco Fernández Ochoa City Sports Center in Carabanchel, both in Madrid.
Images for kids
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The Olympic rings, a symbol of the Winter Olympics where Paquito won gold.
See also
In Spanish: Francisco Fernández Ochoa para niños
