Pablo Restrepo: Difference between revisions

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Pablo Restrepo (born May 26, 1960 in Medellín) is a former Colombian breaststroke swimmer, who competed for his native country at three consecutive Olympics (1980-88). As of May 2009, his is the only Colombian to have ever to reach an Olympic swimming final. He attended college at the USA's Southern Illinois University.

He participated in the Central American and Caribbean Games in his city Medellin (1978), but it was his participation in the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico that showed Colombia and South America what he was able to do. At the '79 Pan Ams, he got a bronze medal in 200 m breaststroke.

In 1980, he swam at the Moscow Olympics, where he became the first Colombian swimmer to reach an Olympic final: in the 100 m final. He finished seventh in 1:05.91 in Moscow (more than two seconds behind the winner Duncan Goodhew). The hope for an Olympic medal would begin two years later at the 1982 World Championships in Guayaquil, when he placed fifth place in the 200 m.

He followed the '82 Worlds, by finished third and second in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela. This, combined with the announcement of the communist countries boycotting the 1984 Summer Olympics, looked to lead to a good result in Los Angeles the following year, so after the '83 Pan Ams Restrepo we to Canada to train. Despite this, however, he failed to earn a medal at LA'84, finishing sixth place in the 200 m. His performance (2:18.96), however, was the colombian nationatl record just until 2008 (the current holder is Jorge Murillo with 2:16.40).

Although he announced his retirement and came back from North America, appeared again for the 1986 Central American and Caribbean Games (St. Domingo, Dominican Rep.) with a silver medal (behind the Cuban Hernández). That result, but even more his new world championship final in Spain (in 1986 too) made him to return with the idea of the Olympic medal.

He got the gold in the 100 m in the South American Championships (over Brazil's Tortelli) in May 1988, but he failed to get his third Olympic final in Seoul that same year.

Despite the level of Colombian swimming is not from world class, even is surprising that his Colombian national record in 100 m breast was just broken in April 2009 (1:03.89 against 1:03.79) and he is still the owner of the 200m breast one.

Today, he is dedicated to his businesses and to teaching swimming in his academy. He continues to participate in the wimming competitions and, showing a great longevity, he got the silver medal in 100 m. breaststroke in the 2003 Colombia National Championships, being at least 24 years older than the winner Diego Bonilla.

References

Profile
Acuanoticias Sept. 1983 (Medellin)
Sports 123.com (web)

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 In 1980, he swam at the [[Swimming at the 1980 Summer Olympics|Moscow Olympics]], where he became the first Colombian swimmer to reach an Olympic final: in the 100&nbsp;m final. He finished seventh in 1:05.91 in Moscow (more than two seconds behind the winner [[Duncan Goodhew]]). The hope for an Olympic medal would begin two years later at the [[1982 World Aquatics Championships|1982 World Championships]] in Guayaquil, when he placed fifth place in the 200&nbsp;m.
-He followed the '82 Worlds, by finished third and second in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes at the [[1983 Pan American Games]] in Caracas, Venezuela. This, combined with the announcement of the communist countries boycotting the [[1984 Summer Olympics]], looked to lead to a good result in Los Angeles the following year, so after the '83 Pan Ams Restrepo we to Canada to train. Despite this, however, he failed to earn a medal at LA'84, finishing sixth place in the 200&nbsp;m. His performance (2:18.96), however, is still the [[List of Colombian records in swimming|Colombian national record]].
+He followed the '82 Worlds, by finished third and second in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes at the [[1983 Pan American Games]] in Caracas, Venezuela. This, combined with the announcement of the communist countries boycotting the [[1984 Summer Olympics]], looked to lead to a good result in Los Angeles the following year, so after the '83 Pan Ams Restrepo we to Canada to train. Despite this, however, he failed to earn a medal at LA'84, finishing sixth place in the 200&nbsp;m. His performance (2:18.96), however, was the colombian nationatl record just until 2008 (the current holder is Jorge Murillo with 2:16.40).
 Although he announced his retirement and came back from North America, appeared again for the [[1986 Central American and Caribbean Games]] (St. Domingo, Dominican Rep.) with a silver medal (behind the Cuban Hernández). That result, but even more his new world championship final in Spain (in 1986 too) made him to return with the idea of the Olympic medal.