José Manuel Abascal facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | 17 March 1958 (age 67) Alcedar, Cantabria, Spain |
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| Height | 182 cm | |||||||||||||
| Weight | 67 kg | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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José Manuel Abascal Gómez, born on March 17, 1958, is a famous former runner from Spain. He was especially good at the 1500-meter race.
He won many important medals during his career. In 1982, he earned a silver medal at the European Indoor Championship and a bronze medal at the European Outdoor Championship, both in the 1500 meters. One of his biggest achievements was winning a bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He also won a silver medal at the 1987 IAAF World Indoor Championships.
Contents
Early Life and Inspiration
José Manuel Abascal grew up in a small village called Alceda in Cantabria, Spain. His childhood was spent in the countryside, in the Pas Valley. Life there was simple, without electricity or running water.
He often walked long distances to school. This, along with helping on the farm, made him very strong. These early experiences helped him develop great endurance. His hard work and success later inspired many other Spanish runners. These included famous athletes like Fermín Cacho.
A Champion's Running Career
Abascal started his running journey with cross-country races. He won his first school race in Zaragoza. In 1975, he became the Spanish youth champion. He even helped the Spanish junior team win a silver medal in 1977. This was at the World Cross Country Championships.
He became a top runner in Spain for middle-distance races. He won national titles in the 1500 meters several times. These wins were in 1978, 1981, 1982, 1984, and 1985. He also won the 3000 meters indoor title in 1982. His fastest time for the 1500 meters was 3 minutes and 31.13 seconds. He achieved this in Barcelona in 1986.
In 1984, Abascal had a great tour in the United States. He won three mile races in a row. He even set a new record in one of them. These races showed how smart he was at racing. They also showed his amazing speed at the end of a race. In 1987, he ran the 5000 meters in 13 minutes and 12.49 seconds. This was one of the best times in the world that year.
Awards and Lasting Impact
José Manuel Abascal was recognized as Spain's best athlete in 1984. The next year, in 1985, he received a very special award. It was called the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports. This award honored his big contributions to Spanish athletics.
He also had the honor of being a flag bearer. This happened at the opening ceremony of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. This showed how important he was to Spanish sports. In 1994, he received the Silver Medal of the Royal Order of Sports Merit.
After he stopped competing in 1992, Abascal stayed involved in sports. He worked as a sports coordinator for 20 years. Later, he moved to Calafell in 2015. There, he continued to help develop sports programs.
Key Achievements
- 800 meters – 1:49.5 in Madrid (1980)
- 3000 meters steeple – 8:38.8 in San Sebastián (1981)
- 1500 meters – 3:31.13 in Barcelona (1986)
- Mile – 3:50.54 in Rome (1986)
- 3000 meters – 7:53.51 in A Coruña (1988)
- 5000 meters – 13:12.49 in Oslo (1987)
See also
In Spanish: José Manuel Abascal para niños
