Simeon Toribio
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's athletics | ||
| Competitor for the |
||
| Bronze | 1932 Los Angeles | High jump |
Simeon G. Toribio (September 3, 1905 – June 5, 1969) was a Filipino athlete, who won the bronze medal in the high jump at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States. He represented the Philippines in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1928.[1][2]
In 1930, Toribio was awarded the Helms World Trophy for being Asia's greatest athlete. He became a lawyer and a congressman representing Bohol province where he later settled. Simeon Toribio, the pride of Zamboanga, was considered the "Filipino Field Athlete of the Half Century" and "Asia's Best Athlete" for winning gold medals in the high jump event in the Far Eastern Olympics in 1921, 1923, 1927, 1930 and 1934 and a bronze medal in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.[3]
According to author Jorge Afable, Toribio could have won the gold medal, if not only for the "call of nature". It was a grueling four-hour competition to jump over the bar raised at 6 feet and six inches high. Toribio, who once made the jump, failed to overcome it the second time because he was distressed by call of nature. Before this, Toribio narrowly missed the bronze in the 1928 Amsterdam Games.
Toribio, who studied at Silliman University,[4] later became a lawyer. In 1941, he was elected to the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the Second District of Bohol, and serving until 1953.
| Preceded by Olegario B. Clarin |
Representative, 2nd District of Bohol 1941–1953 |
Succeeded by Bartolome C. Cabangbang |
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ [Philippine Daily Inquirer: War-torn Afghanistan wins Olympic bronz]. By: Ramon J. Farolan. Posted September 8, 2008. Accessed June 29, 2009.
- ^ [SR Olympics. Athletes: Simeon Toribio]. Accessed June 29, 2009.
- ^ TrackandField.com The Faith of the Philippine Track and Field Athletes. By: Bidz Dela Cruz. Accessed June 29, 2009.
- ^ Silliman University: History. su.edu.ph. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
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- 1905 births
- 1969 deaths
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1928 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1932 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1936 Summer Olympics
- Boholano people
- Filipino athletes
- Filipino lawyers
- High jumpers
- Olympic athletes of the Philippines
- Olympic bronze medalists for the Philippines
- People from Bohol
- Silliman University
- Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
- Filipino sportsperson–politicians
- Olympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
- Asian athletics biography stubs
- Filipino sportspeople stubs
- Filipino politician stubs