Fernando Mamede
Encyclopedia
Fernando Eugénio Pacheco Mamede (born 1 November 1951) is a former Portuguese
athlete, a long distance running
specialist. He was born in Beja
. Together with Carlos Lopes
, he is one of the best Portuguese male long distance runners ever, and held the 10,000 metres world record (1984-1989) with a time of 27:13.81 until bested by Arturo Barrios
of Mexico. However, he never won any high-level competition as he dealt very badly with pressure.
In the European and World Athletics Championships and Olympics where he competed between 1971 and 1984, he either was eliminated from the finals, placed outside the top ten runners in them or dropped out of the final. In the 1983 World Championships in Athletics
and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, he ran excellently in the 10,000-metre qualifying heats, but he placed 14th in the World Championships final and failed to finish in the Olympic final.
He remains one of fastest European of all time in the 10,000 metres.
Mamede also competed in cross country running
, taking part in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
eleven times. His cross country career was highlighted by a bronze medal at the 1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
and two wins at the Cross Internacional de Itálica
.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
athlete, a long distance running
Long-distance track event
Long-distance track event races require runners to balance their energy. These types of races are predominantly aerobic in nature and at the highest level, exceptional levels of aerobic endurance is required more than anything else...
specialist. He was born in Beja
Beja (Portugal)
Beja is a city in the Beja Municipality in the Alentejo region, Portugal. The municipality has a total area of 1,147.1 km² and a total population of 34,970 inhabitants. The city proper has a population of 21,658....
. Together with Carlos Lopes
Carlos Lopes
Carlos Alberto de Sousa Lopes, GCIH, is a former Portuguese long-distance athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1984 Summer Olympics, in Los Angeles. He brought home Portugal's first ever Olympic gold medal along with a new Olympic record - 2:09.21.Born in Vildemoinhos, near Viseu, Portugal,...
, he is one of the best Portuguese male long distance runners ever, and held the 10,000 metres world record (1984-1989) with a time of 27:13.81 until bested by Arturo Barrios
Arturo Barrios
Arturo Barrios Flores is a Mexican long-distance runner. He was born in Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal. Barrios finished in fifth place in the 10000 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He is a former world record holder at 10000 m...
of Mexico. However, he never won any high-level competition as he dealt very badly with pressure.
In the European and World Athletics Championships and Olympics where he competed between 1971 and 1984, he either was eliminated from the finals, placed outside the top ten runners in them or dropped out of the final. In the 1983 World Championships in Athletics
1983 World Championships in Athletics
The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, he ran excellently in the 10,000-metre qualifying heats, but he placed 14th in the World Championships final and failed to finish in the Olympic final.
He remains one of fastest European of all time in the 10,000 metres.
Mamede also competed in cross country running
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, taking part in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...
eleven times. His cross country career was highlighted by a bronze medal at the 1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 9th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 28, 1981 in Madrid, Spain. There were a total number of 457 participating athletes from 39 countries.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...
and two wins at the Cross Internacional de Itálica
Cross Internacional de Itálica
The Cross Internacional de Itálica is an annual cross country running competition that is held every January in Santiponce, near Seville, Spain. Inaugurated in 1982, the race course is set in the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Itálica...
.