Alberto Marson

A graduate in physical education from the University of São Paulo, Alberto Marson’s first passion was swimming, but his height led him to be recruited to play basketball as his primary sport instead. His greatest international success came at the 1948 Summer Olympics, where Brazil won a bronze medal after losing to France in the semifinals but defeating Mexico in the third-place match. Marson played in all but one of the team’s eight games. The following year he earned silver at the South American Championships and, in 1951, he helped Brazil take bronze at the Pan American Games.

Marson missed the 1952 Summer Olympics due to injury and retired from active competition soon thereafter. He then settled into a career as a physical education teacher and professional, and also coached basketball and tennis, the latter of which was also a sport he had played in his youth. He remained athletically active into his 90s and, at the time of his death in April 2018, was the oldest living Brazilian Olympic medalist and the last surviving member of his 1948 Olympic basketball squad.