José Barrientos Schweyer

Outstanding athlete. One of the fastest runners in the world in the 1920s. In his honor, the international Memorial Barrientos competition was named after him, held annually in Cuba since 1946.

Born in Matanzas. Known as the lightning of the Caribbean, he is one of the initiators of the legendary Cuban tradition in speed. With exceptional records for his era, in the 100-meter dash, he showed the world Cuba's potential in athletics as early as 1928, the year he ran the distance in 10 seconds and two-tenths. He debuted in 1920 participating in a long-distance race between Limonar and Matanzas and later traveled to the United States where he practiced baseball.

Later he joined the University of Havana, where he trained in the 400-meter dash. As a summary of his productive athletic career, we can note that in 1923 he triumphed in the Senior Interfaculty competitions of the University of Havana where he alternated practicing athletics with collegiate soccer.

In 1924 he excelled in the interfaculty competitions of the University of Havana, in 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes; he contributed to the victory of the 4x200-meter relay and placed second in the long jump. In his participation with a Cuban university sports delegation in Panama, he was selected as the most outstanding athlete by triumphing in 50, 100 and 200-meter dashes and the victorious finish in the 4x200 relay.

In 1925 he competed in Havana in the Caribbean Field Day Senior and triumphed in 100 and 200-meter dashes, long jump and as part of the 4x200 relay. In the relay carnival in Atlanta in the United States he won in 100-yard flat. In a meet against the University of Georgia he won in 100 and 200-meter dashes and in long jump.

In 1926 he participated in various international track and field tournaments held in Cuba and in the United States, including the I University Athletic Carnival, which was held at the University of Havana on March 11, 1926, which led Cuban sports federatives to select him to represent the country in the Amsterdam 1928 competition.

In a competition held in Havana, Harold Osborn, Olympic champion and world record holder in decathlon, was surpassed by Barrientos in 100-yard flat. In a meet between the universities of Mississippi, Tulane and Havana, he won in 100 and 220-yard flats. In Alabama with the University team he triumphed in 100 and 200-yard flats and in long jump.

Upon his return to Cuba he participated in the Caribbean Field Day Senior where he won 4 gold medals in 100 and 200-meter dashes, long jump and 4x200 relay.

He was part of the Cuban team at the I Central American and Caribbean Games in Mexico City where he was unable to compete as he had just been operated on.

On March 26, 1927, he achieved a record of 10.4 seconds in the 100-meter dash and tied the world record.

On May 8 in the 100-meter dash, he surpassed the world record with 10.2 seconds, not recognized due to competing with a strong tail wind. On March 3, 1928 in Havana he competed in the 50-meter dash and registered 5.6 seconds, surpassing the national record. On March 31 at the III Athletic Carnival, he once again surpassed the world record of 100-meter dash with 10.2 seconds, not recognized by the Cuban Federation. On April 21 he tied the world record again at 10.4 seconds, a time that was not recognized.

In Amsterdam, Holland (1928) Pepe Barrientos had to face the best sprinters of the era and could only succeed in the first elimination heat by running the 100-meter dash in 11.10 seconds. In the next round he crossed the finish line in fourth position and was eliminated. In 1929 he suffered his only sports defeat in Cuba and decided to retire from sports.

On September 27, 1945 he died in an aviation accident on the air route from Key West to Havana.

Source: Eumed.net