Daniel Bautista

Daniel Bautista had a relatively short, but successful career. Primarily a 20 km walker, Bautista first garnered international attention in 1975 when he won the 20 km walk at the Pan-American Games. At the 1976 Olympics, Bautista was not considered the favorite, which was considered to be one of three East German athletes Peter Frenkel, Hans-Georg Reimann, and Karl-Heinz Stadtmüller, although Bautista had produced some top times earlier in the year and recorded a new 20 km world record of 1-23:40 a month before the Olympics. At the Olympics, however, he stayed with the East Germans until he sprinted ahead after 17 kilometres to win a surprising gold medal, becoming the first Mexican track and field athlete to win an Olympic gold.

In the following years, Bautista set three more world records in the 20 km, clocking 1-22:16 and 1-21:04 in 1979 and 1-21:00 in 1980 three months before the 1980 Olympics. In 1977 and 1979 Bautista also won the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in the 20 km walk and won another Pan-American 20 km walk gold in 1979. Bautista went to the 1980 Olympics as the clear favorite for the 20 km gold. The 20 km walk at the 1980 Olympics were held on a very hot and humid day and Bautista and Soviet favorite Anatoly Solomin broke away from the main group early in the race. The duo seemed on the march for gold and silver, but less than two kilometers from the finish, Bautista was disqualified and Solomin also was only 100 metres later. At Moskva, Bautista also competed in the 50 km walk, but abandoned the race after 30 km.

Personal Bests: 20kmW – 1-18:49 (1979); 50kmW – unknown.