Fermín Cacho

Fermín Cacho was known as a great competitive runner, but one who never achieved the top times his status might suggest. Cacho finished second in the 1,500 m at the European Indoor Championships and repeated that finish at the 1991 World Indoor Championships. Cacho was not considered a serious gold medal threat at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, but the final was run at a pedestrian pace, which allowed Cacho to outsprint his rivals to win the gold medal. Cacho finished second at the 1993 Worlds, but won the 1,500 m at the 1994 European Championships.

At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the final was expected to be a match race between Morceli and Hicham El Guerrouj. Approaching the completion of the third lap, Morceli was leading El Guerrouj, who then tripped and fell. Cacho was forced to leap over the fallen El Guerrouj, in a maneuver which he estimated cost him several metres to Morceli. In the end Morceli won by 5 metres over Cacho. At the 1997 Worlds, Cacho again took silver. Later that season he finally managed to run a world class time, finishing second to in 3:28.95, moving him to third on the all-time world list behind Morceli and El Guerrouj. After winning bronze at the 1998 Europeans, and finishing fourth at the 1999 Worlds in 1999, Cacho sustained an Achilles’ tendon injury in 2000 that effectively ended his world-class career.

Personal Best: 1500 – 3:28.95 (1997).