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Marco Fortes in 2011 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | (1982-09-26) September 26, 1982 (age 42) Funchal, Madeira, Portugal |
Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) |
Weight | 135 kg (298 lb) |
Sport | |
Country | Portugal |
Sport | Athletics |
Event | Shot put |
Updated on 15 August 2012 |
Marco Fortes (born 26 September 1982) is a male shot putter from Portugal. His personal best throw is 21.02 meters – Portuguese record – was achieved at the 2012 European Cup Winter Throwing in Bar, Montenegro, where he won the gold medal.
Career
Fortes was born in Portugal to Mozambican immigrants. At the age of 25, he was the first Portuguese shot putter to participate in the Olympics. In Beijing 2008, after beating his personal (and national) record (18.05) he jokingly stated "I seem to perform better in the afternoon. Apparently I would do better to remain in bed on mornings." In response, he was expelled from the Olympic committee. This spawned controversy, especially when Nelson Évora, who was the only Portuguese athlete to earn olympic gold that year, protested against his expulsion upon his victory speech on national TV.
Marco Fortes carried on beating his personal (and national) records, arriving at 20.52 in 2009, 20.89 in 2011, and 21,02 in 2012. In his second participation in the Olympics, in London 2012, he rose from his 2008 classification of 38th place to 15th place.
Achievements
References
- "Marco Fortes: "Estou confiante mas não traço objetivos"". record.xl.pt (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
External links
- Marco Fortes at World Athletics
- Marco Fortes at Olympics.com
- Marco Fortes at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
- 1982 births
- Living people
- Athletes from Lisbon
- Portuguese male shot putters
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Olympic athletes for Portugal
- S.L. Benfica athletes
- Portuguese people of Mozambican descent
- Black Portuguese sportspeople
- 21st-century Portuguese sportsmen