Canto Ernesto

Persoonlijke informatie

Geboortedatum   18-10-1959
Geboorteplaats   Mexico City
Nationaliteit   Mexico
Datum van overlijden   20-11-2020


Ernesto Canto: one of the greatest race walkers in the history of race walking in Mexico 
Olympic champion in the 20 km Race walk at the 1984 LA Olympics
&
gold medalist at the World Championships in Helsinki 1983
&
gold medalist at the Pan American Games in Caracas 1983 
&
former world record holder in the 20 km Race walk with a time of 1:18:40 
 

His athletic highlight

The highlight of his career was undoubtedly his victory in the 20 km Race walk at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
In that same year, he also broke the world record in the 20 km Race walk by covering the distance (= 20 km) on the track in a new world time: 1 h 18' 40". This record would stand on the tables for eight years, until the year 1991.

After his active sports career, he remained involved in the sports through a board position within the Mexican Olympic Committee.
He played a significant role in promoting sports and exercise culture in his country. His name is associated with sports promotion and elite sports development because high-performance sports can serve as a source of inspiration for the broad population. 

Ernesto Canto passed away on November 22, 2010, at the age of 61 from cancer. 

Interested readers can watch the video of the 20 km Walk at the 1984 LA Olympics via the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzOCAB6EzZQ

Indoor Championships

World Indoor Championships

Podium 5000 m Indianapolis (USA) 1987

1. Mikhail Schennikov (RUS)     18' 27" 79 
2. Jozef Pribilinec (SK)               18' 27" 80 
3. Ernesto Canto (MEX)           18' 38" 71 

International honors

Olympic Games

Olympic gold medalist at the men's 20 km Race walk in Los Angeles (USA) 1984 

Podium Race walk 20 km LA 1984 

1. Ernesto Canto (MEX)   1 h 23' 13" 
2. Raúl González (MEX)    1 h 23' 20"  
3. Maurizio Damilano (I)     1 h 23' 26"   

World Championships 

World champion in the 20 km Race walk in Helsinki (FIN) 1983

Podium Race walk 20 km Helsinki 1983 

1. Ernesto Canto (MEX)          1 h 20' 49"
2. Jozef Pribilinec (SK)             1 h 20' 59"      
3. Evgueni Yevsyukov (RUS)   1 h 21' 08"     

Pan American Games

Gold medalist in the 20 km Race walk in Caracas (YV) 1983 

Podium Race walk 20 km Caracas 1983 

1. Ernest Canto (MEX)    1 h 28' 12"
2. Raúl González (MEX)   1 h 29' 21"  
3. Héctor Moreno (CO)     1 h 30' 05"

Medal record 

♦ Olympic Games                        1 x gold    
♦ World Championships              1 x gold   
♦ Pan American Games              1 x gold 
♦ World Indoor Championships   1 x bronze
     total number of medals        4 

Merits

♦ Former holder of the world record 20 km Race walk that has been on the tables for eight years, until the year 1991. 

♦ Barrier Race walk 20 km/ 1h 20' 

4 performances under 1 h 20' over 20 km ► best performance   1 h 18' 40"   15,254 km/h

Best memories

My top three unforgettable memories in my career are in descending order:

♦ My victory in the 20 km Race walk at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles  (USA) 1984, awarded with the prestigious title of << Olympic champion >>;

♦ My gold medal in the men's 20 km Race walk at the World Championships in Helsinki (FIN) 1983, crowned with the honourable title of << World champion >>

♦ Setting a world record in the 20 km Race walk in Fana, Norway, 1984
                                20 km   1 h 18' 40"   15,254 km/h   

Personal bests

♦   5000 m Race walk   18' 38"   1987   Indianapolis (USA)

♦ 10000 m Race walk   39' 34"   15,164 km/h   1984   Copenhagen (DK)

♦ 20 km Race walk road    1 h 19' 02"   15,183 km/h   1980   Ruse (BG)  
♦ 20 km Race walk track   1 h 18' 40"   15,254 km/h   1984   Fana (N) ► former WR  

Palmares

Discipline Distance Time Average Year Location Description
10 km piste 10.000 00 h 39' 34" 15.164 1984 Copenhagen (DK) 1st place / Winner of the race
10 km piste 10.000 00 h 39' 54" 15.038 1982 Arboga (S) 1st place / Winner of the race
vervolg palmares ...
 
Discipline Distance Time Average Year Location Description
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 19' 02" 15.183 1980 Ruse (BG) 1st place / Winner of the race
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 19' 37" 15.072 1987 Xalapa (MEX) 1st place / Winner of the race
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 19' 41" 15.060 1983 Bergen (N) IAAF World Race walking Cup ► 2nd place
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 20' 02" 14.994 1980 Cherkasy (UA) 3th place
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 20' 16" 14.950 1989 Harridslev (DK) 1st place / Winner of the race
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 20' 35" 14.891 1987 New York (USA) IAAF World Race walking Cup ► 5th place
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 20' 46" 14.858 1991 San Jose (USA) IAAF World Race walking Cup ► 2nd place
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 20' 49" 14.848 1983 Helsinki (FIN) World Championships ► gold medalist
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 21' 12" 14.778 1979 Eschborn (D) IAAF World Race walking Cup ► 6th place
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 21' 20" 14.754 1990 Grassau (D) 8 Nations Meeting << West Germany - East Germany - France - Italy - Spain - Great Britain - Austria - Mexico >> ► 1st place
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 21' 46" 14.676 1990 Xalapa (MEX) Pan American Race walking Cup ► 1st place / Winner of the race
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 22' 24" 14.563 1989 L'Hospitalet (E) IAAF World Race walking Cup ► 13th place
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 23' 13" 14.420 1984 Los Angeles (USA) Olympic Games LA 1984 ► Olympic gold medalist
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 23' 52" 14.308 1981 Valencia (E) IAAF World Race walking Cup ► 1st place / Winner of the race
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 25' 15" 14.076 1988 Mar del Plata (RA) Pan American Race walking Cup ► 1st place / Winner of the race
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 28' 12" 13.605 1983 Caracas (YV) Pan American Games ► gold medalist
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 28' 22" 13.580 1991 Havana (C) Pan American Games ► 5th place
20 km weg 20.000 01 h 33' 51" 12.786 1992 Barcelona (E) Olympic Games Barcelona 1992 ► 29th place
vervolg palmares ...
 
Discipline Distance Time Average Year Location Description
20 km piste 20.000 01 h 18' 40" 15.254 1984 Fana (N) Søfteland Grand Prix ► 1st place / Winner of the race
20 km piste 20.000 01 h 20' 36" 14.888 1990 Bergen (N) 5th place
20 km piste 20.000 01 h 22' 41" 14.513 1980 Bergen (N) 3th place
vervolg palmares ...
 
Discipline Distance Time Average Year Location Description
50 km weg 50.000 04 h 07' 59" 12.098 1984 Los Angeles (USA) Olympic Games LA 1984 ► 10th place
vervolg palmares ...
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