Between exhibitions and unexpected events, “El Andarín” Carvajal passed through Matanzas

AREQUIPA, Peru – On March 18, 1875, Félix “El Andarín” Carvajal was born in Havana. He is considered by many to be the greatest Cuban long-distance runner of all time. His anecdotes are scattered throughout the island, and some of the most picturesque ones occurred in the Athens of Cuba, the province of Matanzas.

According to the state newspaper GironAt 5:00 PM on Wednesday, October 23, 1901, the marathon runner arrived in Matanzas. He had come from the Cuban capital, running in stages.

The pages of The Matanzas Mail They then provided coverage for the visitor’s activities, who ran in the Plaza de La Libertad the following evening, in front of a large crowd.

On Sunday 27th, “El Andarín” Carvajal held an endurance race with a cyclist in areas of Paseo Martí. The competition was suspended after two hours due to rain.

The famous long-distance runner performed other exhibitions in the city of Matanzasuntil the second week of November, when he left without warning.

He also attended the Third Olympic Games, held in 1904 in the American city of St. Louis. In the middle of the competition, overcome by hunger, he ate some green apples, which caused him to vomit and suffer other ailments. Nevertheless, the most famous Cuban marathon runner finished in fourth place.

Despite not having reached the podium, the effort of the runner to pay for the trip to USAhis adventures in the northern country, and his almost miraculous participation in the summer event made him a true legend.

After the 1904 Olympic Games, “El Andarín” continued his sporting achievements, collecting more than 57 awards that were recorded in the June 10, 1916 edition of The Herald of Cuba.

In 1928, already at the age of 53, he achieved the feat of circling the Gómez Block (located between Monserrate and Zulueta streets; Neptuno and San Rafael), in Old Havana, 4,375 times.

Two years later, at 55 years old, covered round trip the 1,100 kilometers by road between Guane (Pinar del Río) and the city of Santiago de Cuba.

Félix Carvajal lived the last twenty years of his life in a miserable shack under the so-called Arango Bridge, today known as La Lisa Bridge, where he died on January 27, 1949, alone and sick, at the age of 73.

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