Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo facts for kids
Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo y Gayarre (born April 30, 1932 – died May 20, 2016) was a famous Spanish reporter and an Olympic athlete. He was the person who started and led a special cultural program called Aventura 92. Today, this program is known as Ruta Quetzal BBVA. Even though he was born in Madrid, many people knew him as someone from the Basque and Navarre regions of Spain.
Contents
Miguel's Amazing Life
Early Days as a Sports Star
Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo was born in Madrid. When he was a child, his family moved to Pamplona. There, he studied to become an expert in agriculture. He also became a very talented athlete.
In the mid-1950s, Miguel and another athlete, Félix Erausquin, changed how the Olympic javelin was thrown. They used a technique from the Basque bar sport. Like throwing a discus or hammer, the thrower would spin around before letting go of the javelin. Miguel called this the "Spanish style" of javelin throwing. It worked so well that in 1956, he threw the javelin 20 meters farther than the world record at that time!
However, the official sports group, the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations), never approved his record. They thought this new way of throwing was too dangerous for people watching. This was because the javelin's tip pointed towards the crowd during the spin.
Miguel was a champion in Spain nine times. He won titles in javelin, hammer, and discus throwing. He even competed in the 1960 Rome Olympics. From 1961 to 1963, he worked for the Colombian government. He was an ethnobotany expert, studying plants in the Amazon region.
Becoming a Reporter
Later, Miguel became a reporter for TVE, a Spanish TV channel. He traveled to many places to report on important events. He covered conflicts in places like the Congo, Vietnam, Eritrea, and Mozambique. He also reported on big news stories, such as the death of Che Guevara in 1967. He also covered the Pinochet coup in Chile in 1973.
Miguel interviewed many famous people during his time as a reporter. These included Salvador Allende, Pablo Neruda, Indira Gandhi, Haile Selassie, Norodom Sihanouk, Yassir Arafat, and the 14th Dalai Lama.
He also worked on popular TV shows. One was Los reporteros ("The Reporters"). Another was A la caza del tesoro ("Treasure Hunt"). In this show, Miguel flew around the world in a helicopter. He followed clues given by a contestant back in the studio in Madrid.
The Ruta Quetzal Program
Many young people today know Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo because of the Ruta Quetzal. This program was first suggested by the King of Spain in 1979. Its main goal is to help young people from Spanish-speaking countries learn about each other. It brings together students aged 16 to 17 from Spain and Latin America.
The Ruta Quetzal is a journey that lasts about one and a half months. It has two parts: one in America and one in Spain. Around 350 young people from 50 countries take part each year. They learn about history, geography, and culture by visiting historical places. They also attend talks and discussions during the trip. The students live together, share tents, and learn to support and respect each other.
Since 1979, the Ruta Quetzal has visited more than 20 countries. These include Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, and Costa Rica.
Until 1992, the program was called Adventure 92. This was to celebrate 500 years since the discovery of America. In 1993, it was renamed Ruta Quetzal. The King of Spain, Juan Carlos I, supported the project. In 1990, UNESCO said it was of "universal interest."
Besides learning about history and culture, participants also join workshops. These workshops cover topics like new technologies, computers, journalism, photography, and astronomy. They also have talks about helping other countries develop.
Later, Miguel's nephew, Telmo Aldaz de la Quadra-Salcedo, also became involved. He started a similar project called España Rumbo al Sur.
TV Shows Miguel Worked On
- Full Page (A toda plana) (1965–1967)
- Adventure (Aventura) (1969)
- The world in action (El mundo en acción) (1973–1978)
- The reporters (Los Reporteros) (1974–1976)
- Spanish in the Pacific (Españoles en el Pacífico) (1980)
- Treasure hunt (A la caza del tesoro) (1984)
- Adventure 92 (Aventura 92) (1988–1992)
- Queztal Route (Ruta Quetzal) (since 1993)
Awards and Honors
Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo received many awards for his work:
- Ondas Awards (1973)
- Gold Aerial (1968)
- Extraordinary Gold Aerial (2002)
- ATV Award (2004) for his career
- Village Journalism Award for “Three years in the Amazonas”
- TV National Award for “Managuan and the earthquake”
- TV National Award for "Camaño and naval officers"
- TV Reviews International Award in Cannes for "Che Guevara´s death"
- TC International Award for “The long walk of Etrirean people”
- Sport Merit Silver Medal
- Agricultural Merit Medal and Civil Merit Order Assignment
- Antonio José de Irisarri Order (2006)
- Ítaca Award for his career
- “Las Encartaciones” Tourism Award, Vizcaya (2007)
- International Character Plus is more Award, Madrid (2010)
- Extremadura´s Medal, Mérida (2012)
His Athletic Achievements
National Titles
- He was a Youth Champion of Spain in Shot Put in 1952.
- He set 7 Spanish records in Discus Throw.
- He was Champion of Spain in Discus Throw 6 times between 1953 and 1960.
- He was a Youth Champion of Spain in Discus Throw in 1952.
- He set 7 Spanish records in Hammer Throw.
- He was Champion of Spain in Hammer Throw in 1956.
International Competitions
- He competed 18 times for Spain in international events.
- He won a Bronze medal in Shot Put at the Ibero-American Games in Chile in 1960.
- He competed in the Olympic Games in Rome in 1960 in Discus Throw.
His Best Sports Results
- Shot Put: 14.37 meters (in France, 1956)
- Discus Throw: 51.00 meters (in Spain, 1960)
- Hammer Throw: 49.25 meters (in Spain, 1956)
- Javelin Throw: 48.60 meters (in 1958)
- Javelin Throw (Spanish Style): 82.80 meters (in Madrid, 1956)
Other Information
- VideoConference
See also
In Spanish: Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo para niños
