Jorge Llopart

At Moskva in 1980, Jordi Llopart became the first Spaniard to win an athletics Olympic medal when he won silver in the 50 km. walk. He went on to compete in two more Olympics, finishing seventh in 1984 and 13th in 1988. Llopart also had the honour of being the Flag Bearer at the opening ceremony for the 1992 Games in his home city of Barcelona, even though he had retired after finishing fourth in the Spanish Championship a few months earlier.

Llopart also appeared in three World Championships, starting with the inaugural one at Helsinki in 1983. In addition, he competed in the four European Championships from 1978-90, winning the 50 km. gold at Praha in the first of those years, which was the first gold medal won by a Spaniard at the championships. Llopart also competed in 13 World Cups between 1973-91.

After his retirement from competitive walking, Llopart went into coaching and one of his pupils was Daniel Plaza, the 1992 20 km. Olympic champion. Another was the seven-times Olympian, Jesús Ángel García, who won gold at the 1993 World Championships in the 50 km.

Llopart, who was an Olympic Order Recipient in 1999 (silver), died on 11 November 2020 after suffering a massive heart attack three days earlier. He was in an irreversible coma and a transplant team was on stand-by to remove his organs. As a result of this, his death was erroneously reported in the Spanish media one day earlier than it took place.

Personal Best: 50kmW – 3-44:33 (1989).