Evelina Farina

In 1960 Evelina Farina was 19-years-old when she won gold in the 100 metres and 4 x 100 metres relay at the Argentine national championships in Buenos Aires. At the same championships Farina also won silver in the long jump, with her going on to specialise in the discipline. In 1962 she won gold in the long jump at the Ibero-American Games in Madrid, Spain, followed by gold in the same event at the 1963 South American Championships in Athletics in Cali, Colombia. Farina started 1964 strongly when she set a South American record of 5.97 metres at a meet in March before jumping 6.17 metres the following month. With her latter effort she became the first female athlete from South America to jump more than six metres, with the mark standing as an Argentine record until 1981. Farina’s performances earned her a spot on Argentina’s team for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, where she ran in the 4 x 100 metres relay, but finished a disappointing 26th in the long jump. At the 1965 national championships she won gold in the high jump, along with bronze in both the 4 x 100 metres and the long jump.

Personal Bests: 100 – unknown; LJ – 6.17 (1964).