Osvaldo Suárez

Osvaldo Suárez was an Argentine distance runner most famous for his four gold medals at the Pan American Games. Suárez won the 5 and 10K in 1955, repeated as 10K champion in 1959, and then won the 5,000 again in 1963. He also added silver medals in the 5,000 in 1959 and the 10K in 1963. Suárez also competed at the 1967 Pan American Games, finishing fifth in the 5,000 metres.

Suárez was at his best at the time of the 1956 Olympics and wanted to compete in Melbourne, but he was prevented from doing so by the Revolución Libertadora, who accused him of receiving extra favors for travel, and suspended him for 14 months, despite the fact that he was a famous athlete.

Suárez also won the São Silvestre road race in Brazil three times consecutively, in 1958-60, and also finished second there in 1957. After retiring from his running career, he became a professional athletics coach. In 1958 he was given the Olimpia de Oro and in 1980 received the Konex Award for merit in athletics.