Alberto Juantorena Quotes

• We want to promote the great qualities of athletics – and maintain its integrity – all over the world.

  Alberto Juantorena

• We want to make sure our athletes have a future once their athletics careers are over.

  Alberto Juantorena

• We need to be aware of all aspects: To check how they travel, how they eat, the competition conditions.

  Alberto Juantorena

• We do not use managers, we are the representatives of our athletes, and that is why I am deeply involved in athletics, I follow our athletes careers from start to finish, 100% all the way.

  Alberto Juantorena

• We are just not made up to be middle distance runners.

  Alberto Juantorena

• Then I received support from the Government to compete for my country, and to represent Cuba in competition.

  Alberto Juantorena

• The most important part of this is to prepare the athlete for life in general and then be able to compete.

  Alberto Juantorena

• My main point in this regard was to compete for my country and my people and to receive the support of the entire Cuban society, to carry my flag in whatever competition I was in, the Olympic Games, Pan-American Games.

  Alberto Juantorena

• In Cuba we use our champions to promote the sport.

  Alberto Juantorena

• If we carry on filling up the calendar, we keep on pushing the athlete, we shorten the athletes longevity. The risk is to shorten a career that could have lasted 10 years because the athlete is burnt out.

  Alberto Juantorena

• I run in practically every single road race in my country, 5k, 10k just to promote the sport.

  Alberto Juantorena

• I love music, and outside of work my family keeps me very busy, I have five children to keep track of.

  Alberto Juantorena

• I got involved in athletics during physical education lessons at school.

  Alberto Juantorena

• I am always fighting inside the Council to get the message across that at each competition venue, we should send somebody to inspect and to make sure the athletes will be looked after in a correct manner.

  Alberto Juantorena

• Be very strong… be very methodical in your life if you want to be a champion.

  Alberto Juantorena

• And then you have the responsibility and the duty of being good examples to youngsters, not smoke, training hard, go to bed early, don’t drink alcohol, don’t take drugs, it’s very important to have a policy for educating against doping.

  Alberto Juantorena

Alberto Juantorena (16)

Birth:	3rd December, 1950
Nationality:	Cuban
Profession:	Athlete

About

Alberto Juantorena is a Cuban former track athlete, famed for his nine foot stride length. At the 1976 Summer Olympics, he became the first and so far only athlete to win both the 400 and 800 m Olympic titles. In 1977, he set another world record in the 800, running 1:43.44 in Sofia at the World University Games. He also won both the 400 m and 800 m at the 1977 IAAF Athletics World Cup in Dusseldorf, Germany. Juantorena has also been appointed as a member of the IAAF Council, and has also served as an Athletes' Commission Chairman and Grand Prix Commission Member. His nephew Osmany Juantorena is a professional volleyball player playing in Italy.

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