Julio Quevedo

Guatemalan track and field athlete Julio Quevedo competed in middle- and long-distance running events from the 1,500 metres to the marathon. Quevedo won his first medal at a major event in 1967 with bronze in the 5,000 metres at the Central American and Caribbean Championships. One year later he won gold in the 1,500 metres at the Central American Championships, with these performances earning him a place on the Olympic team for the 1968 Games in Mexico City. He ran in the 1,500 metres, 5,000 metres, and the 3,000 metres steeplechase, but did not advance from the first round in any of them. He continued to train hard, with his effort paying off two years later when he won gold in the 5,000 metres and bronze in the half marathon at the 1970 Central American Championships.

In 1972 Quevedo won bronze in the 10,000 metres at the Central American Championships to earn himself another place at the Olympics. For the München Games he concentrated on the longer distances, running in the steeplechase, 10,000 metres, and the marathon, finishing 54th in the latter. One year later Quevedo came away from the 1973 Central American Games with three silver medals after finishing as the runner-up in 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 metres. After his retirement from the sport he worked as a coach of the track and field team at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala.

Personal Bests: 1500 – 3:58.1 (1968); 5000 – 14:20.4 (1970); 10000 – 30:06.8 (1970); Mar – 2-27:20 (1973); 3000S – 9:22.5 (1971).