Iván Pedroso facts for kids

Iván Lázaro Pedroso Soler (born December 17, 1972) is a famous retired Cuban track and field athlete. He was a specialist in the long jump, where athletes try to jump as far as possible. Iván Pedroso is known for winning many important competitions, including an Olympic gold medal. After he stopped competing, he became a successful coach for other top athletes like Nelson Évora, Yulimar Rojas, Ana Peleteiro, and Jordan Díaz.

A Champion's Career

Iván Pedroso was born in Havana, Cuba. When he was only 17 years old, in July 1990, he already jumped more than eight meters! This is a really long jump. In the early 1990s, he competed against other great long jumpers like Carl Lewis and Mike Powell. Even with such tough competition, he won many gold medals in international events. He almost always finished in first place.

After Powell and Lewis retired, Pedroso became the top long jumper in the world. He won many indoor and outdoor World Championships. From 1997 to 2001, he won every major championship. This amazing streak included his gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

The Unofficial World Record

In 1995, at a competition in Sestriere, Italy, Iván Pedroso made an incredible jump. He jumped 8.96 meters! This would have been a new world record, beating Mike Powell's record by just one centimeter.

However, the Italian Athletics Federation did not approve the record. This was because a person stood in front of the wind measuring device (called an anemometer). This might have stopped the device from measuring the wind correctly. So, even though it was a fantastic jump, it could not be officially recognized as a world record. His best official jump was 8.71 meters, which he achieved in Salamanca in 1995.

Olympic Challenges

Even though Pedroso was very successful at the World Championships, he faced some challenges at the Olympic Games. In Barcelona 1992, when he was 19, he finished fourth. This was still a great result for a young athlete.

At the Atlanta 1996 Olympics, he had some injuries. Because of this, he could only finish 12th in the long jump final.

His most famous Olympic moment came at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. In a very exciting competition, Pedroso won the gold medal with his very last jump! It was a spectacular win. In the 2004 Olympics, he finished 7th.

Iván Pedroso announced his retirement from competing on September 26, 2007.

Coaching Success

After his incredible career as an athlete, Iván Pedroso became a highly respected coach. He has coached many top athletes who have gone on to win major titles. Some of his famous students include:

• Teddy Tamgho, a World Champion in triple jump.
• Yulimar Rojas, an Olympic Champion in triple jump.
• Jordan Díaz, an Olympic Champion in triple jump.

Pedroso is also a cousin of the hurdler Aliuska López.

Images for kids

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  Iván Pedroso, the Cuban long jump legend.

See also

In Spanish: Iván Pedroso para niños