Alberto Juantorena

one of the commentators on eurosport referred to him as jr

Yes, it is his son, they were commenting on WCSN during the Deca 400m how he wasn't the 400m runner his dad was... I think they said 49.1 PR.

The "Horse" was one of the most magnificent runners of all time. In full stride he was beautiful. I canstill see him in mind floating down the backstretch of the 800M final.

If he was born in 77, he's not a junior. You stop being a junior on Jan. 1 of the year in which you turn 20.

'The big Cuban opened his legs and showed his class'

Said by David Coleman

When Montreal Olympics, 1976

The man who gave his name to a commentary cock-up (the Colemanball) could sometimes be so bad he was good. Like here, for instance. As Cuban Alberto Juantorena - nicknamed 'El Caballo' (the horse) for his muscular appearance and nine-foot stride - powered to 400m and 800m gold medals in Montreal, Coleman began his fine foot-in-mouth tradition with this observation.

hold the phone wrote:

If he was born in 77, he's not a junior. You stop being a junior on Jan. 1 of the year in which you turn 20.

did you feel that breeze over your head?

They called him white lightening. Set a world record in the Oly final. 400/800 double! Are you friggin kidding. Who could do that today???

sloegin wrote:

did you feel that breeze over your head?

No, I didn't. I still don't, actually -- perhaps you could enlighten me. I thought the original poster was asking whether the decathlete Alberto Juantorena, son of the 400/800 champ, was a junior, having been born in 77. But perhaps I was missing a more subtle point?

think the orginal post was asking if he was indeed Alberto Juantorena JR....DUH!!!

No, I didn't. I still don't, actually -- perhaps you could enlighten me. I thought the original poster was asking whether the decathlete Alberto Juantorena, son of the 400/800 champ, was a junior, having been born in 77. But perhaps I was missing a more subtle point?

If you were a building, you'd be the tard majal.

crazy montreal peformance...1:43.5 for 800 (WR)...than a 44.26 for the 400m....if it was done today by a ramzi or whoever not white letsrun would be screaming the D word non stop!!!

Did he ever give anyone any reason to believe he was on drugs though?

well there would be saying he's from a communist dictatorship and look at the east germans doped up to the gills...therefore since east germans are communist dictatorships too than all cubans must be doped up to the gills...you know the kind of logic that the rabid posters here have shown numerous times...

my goodness were BOTH his 400 and 800m times at montreal WR??? insane

zfoof wrote:

think the orginal post was asking if he was indeed Alberto Juantorena JR....DUH!!!

Oh, I get it. Thanks for the positive feedback.

Juantorena was a god in Cuba for many years. He was loved unlike any other in that country's sports, even more than the boxers.

Castro was also nicknamed "el caballo" given his 6'2" big chest stature and presence. Hard to believe that he would have shared the nickname willingly with a subject, so I think he knew the propaganda power. But unlike some of the Iron Country runners who came later and were obviously juiced (including the jock-strapped women), I think he was legit and a real 400/800 anomaly that's not to be found today.

zfoof wrote:

my goodness were BOTH his 400 and 800m times at montreal WR??? insane

No, the 800 was a WR (although Wohlhuter may have run as fast or faster en route to his WR for 880 yards) and the 400 was a low-altitude best (the actual WR being 43.86 by Lee Evans, from 1968).

And yes, AJ was widely believed to have benefited from a systematic doping regimen---like many stars of the past and present...

Seeing that, I can only think about the promise of van Damme. Such promise lost so early.

my goodness were BOTH his 400 and 800m times at montreal WR??? insane

No, the 400m WR at that time was Lee Evans' 43.86 set at the Mexico City games in 1968 (the record stood for 20 years!).