Roberto Hernández (sprinter)

Roberto Hernández Prendes (6 March 1967 – 5 July 2021)[1] was a Cuban track and field sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He was born in Limonar, Matanzas. His personal best for the 400 metres is 44.14 seconds, set in Seville, Spain in May 1990. Until September 2006, this was the fastest time by anyone not from the US. It remains the Cuban record for the event. He broke 44.5 seconds on four other occasions.

Roberto Hernández
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Cuba
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1992 Barcelona 4x400 m relay

Hernandez finished fourth in the World Championship finals in 1987 and 1991. As a member of the Cuban 4 × 400 m relay squad he won a World Championship Bronze medal in 1987 and an Olympic silver medal in 1992. As of 1 October 2014, Hernandez holds the fastest non-winning time for the 300 metres.

International competitions

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing   Cuba
1985 Central American and Caribbean Championships Nassau, Bahamas 1st 400 m 45.34
World Student Games Kobe, Japan 2nd 400 m 45.41
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:02.20
World Cup Canberra, Australia 6th 4 × 400 m relay 3:03.521
1986 Central American and Caribbean
Junior Championships (U-20)
Mexico City, Mexico 1st 200 m 20.70 A
1st 400 m 45.19 A
Ibero American Championships Havana, Cuba 2nd 400 m 46.03
2nd 4 × 400 m relay 3:09.09
Pan American Junior Championships Winter Park, United States 1st 200 m 20.83
1st 400 m 45.64
2nd 4 × 100 m relay 40.62
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:04.30
World Junior Championships Athens, Greece 2nd (h) [2] 200m 21.20 (+0.3 m/s)
2nd 400m 45.64
2nd 4 × 400 m relay 3:04.22
1987 World Indoor Championships Indianapolis, United States 2nd 400 m 46.09
Pan American Games Indianapolis, United States 3rd 400 m 45.13
World Championships Rome, Italy 4th 400 m 44.99
3rd 4 × 400 m 2:59.16 NR
1988 Ibero-American Championships Ciudad de México, Mexico 3rd 200m 20.24 (-0.3 m/s) A
1st 400m 44.44 A
1st 4 × 400 m relay 2:59.71 A CR
1989 Central American and Caribbean Championships San Juan, Puerto Rico 1st 400 m 44.84 CR
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:04.90
Universiade Duisburg, West Germany 1st 400 m 45.42
World Cup Barcelona, Spain 1st 400 m 44.58[3]
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:00.65[3]
1990 Goodwill Games Seattle, United States 1st 400 m 44.79
3rd 4 × 400 m 3:03.35
Central American and Caribbean Games Mexico City, Mexico 1st 200 m 20.72 A (-0.8 m/s)
1st 400 m 44.84 A
3rd 4 × 400 m 3:06.17 A
1991 Pan American Games Havana, Cuba 7th 200 m 23.22
1st 400 m 44.52
1st 4 × 400 m 3:01.93
World Championships Tokyo, Japan 4th 400 m 44.86
1992 Ibero-American Championships Seville, Spain 1st (h)[4] 400m 46.37
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:01.58
Olympic Games Barcelona, Spain 5th 400 m 44.52
2nd 4 × 400 m 2:59.51
1993 World Championships Stuttgart, Germany heats 400 m 46.01
6th 4 × 400 m 3:00.46
1994 Ibero-American Championships Mar del Plata, Argentina 4 × 400 m relay DQ
1996 Ibero American Championships Medellín, Colombia 5th 400 m 46.95
1st 4 × 400 m 3:03.98
Olympic Games Atlanta, Georgia, United States 19th (h) 4 × 400 m 3:05.75

1Representing the Americas

References

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  1. ^ Roberto Hernández's obituary Archived 5 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
  2. ^ Did not show in the quarterfinal.
  3. ^ a b Representing the Americas
  4. ^ Did not show in the final