Juan K. Taduran was a Filipino track and field athlete who competed in the decathlon and in middle-distance running events. In the 1920s he won three consecutive gold medals in the decathlon at the Far Eastern Championship Games – a forerunner of the Asian Games.

Juan Taduran
Personal information
NationalityFilipino
Sport
Country Philippines
SportTrack and field
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing the  Philippines
Far Eastern Championship Games
Gold medal – first place 1921 Shanghai Decathlon
Gold medal – first place 1923 Osaka Decathlon
Gold medal – first place 1925 Osaka Decathlon
Silver medal – second place 1919 Manila Decathlon
Bronze medal – third place 1919 Manila 880 yards
Bronze medal – third place 1925 Osaka 800 metres

Taduran made his first international impact at the 1919 Far Eastern Championship Games in Manila, where he was the close runner-up to China's Chu Ente in the decathlon and placed third in the 880-yard run. He returned for the 1921 Games and defeated defending Ente in Shanghai to become the Far Eastern decathlon champion – the second Filipino to do so after Genaro Saavedra.[1]

He won that title two more times successively at the 1923 Games and 1925 Games. This made him the second athlete to win three straight titles in an event at the competition, after multiple sprint champion Fortunato Catalon.[1] Ultimately this made him the most successful combined events athlete in the competition's history.[2] Taduran also won an 800 metres bronze medal in his final appearance in 1925.[1]

Following his retirement from athletics he turned to coaching and was head coach of the Filipino baseball team for the 1930 Far Eastern Championship Games. The Philippines were defeated in all games at that tournament.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Far East Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-01-14.
  2. ^ Iñigo, Manolo (2008-01-22). RP Hall of Fame finally gets going Archived 2015-01-18 at archive.today. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved on 2015-01-14.
  3. ^ Official Programme Ninth Championship Games (in Japanese). Far Eastern Athletic Association. Retrieved on 2015-01-14.