Jorge Perry

Colombia made its Olympic début at the 1932 Los Angeles Games, sending athlete Jorge Perry as their sole representative. Perry was a long-distance runner who was selected to compete in the marathon. The race started and finished at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; Perry, however, fainted just after the 10km point and did not finish the race. Due to him being Colombia’s only entrant for the Games he also had the honour of being their flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony. Four years later he was scheduled to run in the 10,000 metres and the marathon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics but did not start in either race. Although having no affinity with Hitler’s politics, Perry did join a Nazi youth camp in Berlin, but only so he could improve his physical performance. On 21 December 1946 he was involved in a motorcycle accident in Bogotá and died eight days later from pneumonia while being treated in hospital.

Personal Best: Mar – unknown.