Rodolfo Gómez Orozco (born 30 October 1950 in Delicias, Chihuahua) is a Mexican former long-distance runner who was one of the leading runners represented from Mexico in the 1970s and 1980s. He won the Tokyo Marathon (1981), the IAAF Citizen Golden Marathon in Athens (1982), the Rotterdam Marathon (1982), the Nike OTC Marathon (1982), the Pittsburgh Marathon (1987) and the Mexico City Marathon (1987). He gained prominence on American television in 1982 when he finished in second place, four seconds back in 2:09:33 while being the primary foil to Alberto Salazar's third victory in a row at the New York Marathon. He ran a personal best of 2:09:12 at the 1983 Tokyo Marathon, finishing third in that race.

Rodolfo Gómez

Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Mexico
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1979 San Juan 10,000 metres
Silver medal – second place 1975 Mexico City 10,000 metres
Bronze medal – third place 1975 Mexico City 5000 metres
Bronze medal – third place 1979 San Juan 5000 metres

Gómez represented Mexico at three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1976. Later on he became an athletics coach, guiding runners like Andrés Espinosa, Germán Silva, Benjamín Paredes, Adriana Fernández, Isaac García, Martín Pitayo, and Isidro Rico.

Achievements edit

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing   Mexico
1976 Olympic Games Montréal, Canada 19th Marathon 2:18:21
1979 Fukuoka Marathon Fukuoka, Japan 15th Marathon 2:16:18
1980 Olympic Games Moscow, Soviet Union 6th Marathon 2:12:39
New York City Marathon New York City, United States 2nd Marathon 2:10:13
1981 Tokyo Marathon Tokyo, Japan 1st Marathon 2:11:00
New York City Marathon New York, United States 7th Marathon 2:12:47 [1]
1982 Golden Marathon Athens, Greece 1st Marathon 2:11:49
Rotterdam Marathon Rotterdam, Netherlands 1st Marathon 2:11:57
Nike OTC Marathon Eugene, Oregon 1st Marathon 2:11:35
New York City Marathon New York, United States 2nd Marathon 2:09:33
1983 Tokyo Marathon Tokyo, Japan 3rd Marathon 2:09:12
Rotterdam Marathon Rotterdam, Netherlands 3rd Marathon 2:09:25
1986 Chicago Marathon Chicago, United States 10th Marathon 2:15:02
1987 Pittsburgh Marathon Pittsburgh, United States 1st Marathon 2:13:07

References edit

  1. ^ https://www.arrs.run/MaraRank/ATM_Mara1981.htm Course 150 m short on remeasurement

External links edit