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Ivan PedrosoAthlete athlete natural long jumper
Date of Birth: 17.12.1972
Country:  Cuba |
Content:
Biography of Ivan Pedroso
Ivan Pedroso is a famous Cuban long jumper, Olympic champion, and four-time world champion. He participated in the 2004 Olympics and holds a personal record of 8 meters 71 centimeters, achieved on July 18, 1995, in Salamanca.
World Record Controversy
In late July 1995, at the high-altitude location of Sestriere, Italy (2065 meters above sea level), a few days after setting his personal record, the 22-year-old Pedroso jumped 8 meters 96 centimeters, surpassing Mike Powell's world record by 1 centimeter. An anemometer measured a tailwind speed of 1.2 m/s, which would have allowed the record to be validated. However, representatives of the Italian Athletics Federation viewed the video recording of the competition and determined that someone was standing in front of the anemometer, hindering the accurate measurement of wind speed. Consequently, Pedroso's record-breaking result was not submitted to the IAAF for approval.
Olympic Achievements
Pedroso participated in the Olympic Games four times but was only able to secure one medal, a gold medal in 2000 in Sydney. In 1992, in Barcelona, Ivan jumped 8 meters 11 centimeters, finishing fourth behind three Americans - Carl Lewis (8 meters 67 centimeters), Mike Powell (8 meters 64 centimeters), and Joe Greene (8 meters 34 centimeters). In 1996, Pedroso suffered an injury in Atlanta and could only manage 12th place with a jump of 7 meters 75 centimeters. At his last Olympics in Athens in 2004, Pedroso finished seventh.
Other Achievements
In addition to his Olympic gold and four consecutive world champion titles (1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001), Ivan Pedroso's notable victories include:
- Five-time world indoor champion (1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001)
- Three-time Pan American Games winner (1995, 1999, 2003)
- Universiade champion (1997)
- Two-time World Cup winner (1992, 1998)
- Four-time holder of the best season result in the world (1995, 1997, 1999, 2000)
Retirement
On September 26, 2007, Pedroso officially announced his retirement from athletics. He is the second cousin of Cuban and later Spanish hurdler Aliuska Lopez.
