Juan Miranda (runner)

Juan Doroteo Miranda (born 1928)[1] was an Argentine middle-distance runner who specialised in the 1500 metres. He was the gold medallist in that event at the 1955 Pan American Games and twice broke the South American record.

Juan Miranda
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Argentina
Pan American Games
1955 Mexico City1500 m
South America Championships
1952 Buenos Aires5000 m

Born in San Basilio in Río Cuarto Department, he rose on to the regional scene in the early 1950s. He was a 5000 metres bronze medallist at the 1952 South American Championships in Athletics, taking the minor medals in Buenos Aires alongside compatriot Reinaldo Gorno (an Olympic medallist that year).[2] A 1500 m silver medal followed at the 1953 South American Championships in Athletics, where he ran close to four minutes and finished behind Chile's Guillermo Solá.[3]

Miranda established himself among the best runners on the continent with a South American record time of 3:53.8 minutes for the 1500 m, set on 21 January 1955, also knocking almost two seconds off the Argentine record set the previous year by his countryman Osvaldo Suárez.[4][5]

Miranda was entered for both the 800 metres and the 1500 m at the 1955 Pan American Games held in Mexico City. He reached the 800 m final and ended the race in fifth place, behind a trio of Americans and Chile's Ramón Sandoval.[6] In the 1500 m final he faced Wes Santee, one of the world's top mile runners during that period. Upsetting the form book, Miranda claimed the gold medal with an improved South American and games record of 3:53.30 minutes, edging Santee near the finish line.[4][5] Miranda helped form an Argentine sweep of the distance track events at the games that year, with Osvaldo Suárez claiming a 5000 m/10,000 m double as well.[7]

After retiring from running, he took up coaching with the Club de Asociación Atlética Banda Norte group based in Río Cuarto, Córdoba. After his death, a street in the city was named in his honour.[5]

International competitions
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
1952 South American Championships Buenos Aires, Argentina 3rd 5000 m 15:09.0
1953 South American Championships (unofficial) Santiago, Chile 2nd 1500 m 4:00.4
1955 Pan American Games Mexico City, Mexico 5th 800 m 1:53.31
1st 1500 m 3:53.30 GR
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References
  1. Imigração para o Brasil Chegadas no porto do Rio de Janeiro 1952 Archived 2017-03-27 at the Wayback Machine. Imigracao. Retrieved on 2016-03-19.
  2. South American Championships (Men). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2016-03-19.
  3. South American Championships (unofficial). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2016-03-19.
  4. Bruno, para el historial de los 1.500 (in Spanish). Confederation Argentina de Atletismo. Retrieved on 2016-03-19.
  5. Tyrrell, Eduardo. Juan Doroteo Miranda Campeón Panamericano en Atletismo (in Spanish). Amigos protectores de Letras-Uruguay. Retrieved on 2016-03-19.
  6. II Pan American Game, Mexico City 1955 Men, Track. Track and Field Brinkster. Retrieved on 2016-03-19.
  7. Pan American Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2016-03-19.
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