Alberto Jarrín

Alberto Jarrín took 31 days to get from Ecuador to France for the 1924 Olympics and, despite not winning a medal in the 10,000 metres, he was a pioneering Ecuadorian athlete. He was the first athlete from the South American country to compete in the Olympics, and his association with the Games lasted way beyond 1924, as he attended every Olympics from 1928-80. He also attended every Pan American Games up to 1979, and all at his own expense. For his longevity as an Olympic follower, he was presented with a special plaque during the Moscow Olympics in 1980.

Jarrín promoted many generations of Ecuadorian athletes and was involved with the promotion of many national sports Games, including the first National Games in 1924. In his youth, Jarrín was an excellent table tennis, and later lawn tennis, player. He graduated from the Quito Central Technical College in mechanics, and during his time at the College started his athletics career. In 1923 he became the first Ecuadorian to run the Marathon in under four hours. He returned to Marathon running in 1956 and broke his 1923 record when he was then aged 56.

In the late 1920s, after the opening of the new Quito to Ibarra railway line, he challenged the train to see who could reach Ibarra first. Jarrín set off from Quito at midnight and, running across the mountains, arrived at Ibarra at 11 am the next morning. The train arrived eight hours later! The Ecuador Olympic Committee honoured Jarrín in 2014 by naming their museum the “Museo Alberto Jarrín.”

Personal Best: 10000 – unknown.