Sebastián Rodríguez Veloso

Sebastián Rodríguez Veloso (Spanish pronunciation: [seβasˈtjan roˈðɾiɣeθ]; born on 27 February 1957) is a Spanish Paralympic swimmer. He has competed at four Paralympic Games winning fifteen medals: eight gold, four silver and three bronze. His attendance at the Games was controversial after it was revealed that he had been jailed for bomb attacks while a member of First of October Anti-Fascist Resistance Groups (GRAPO).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Rodríguez and the second or maternal family name is Veloso.
Sebastián Rodríguez
Personal information
Full nameSebastián Rodríguez Veloso
NationalitySpanish
Born (1957-02-27) 27 February 1957
Cadiz, Andalusia, Spain
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing  Spain
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place2000 Sydney50 m freestyle S5
Gold medal – first place2000 Sydney100 m freestyle S5
Gold medal – first place2000 Sydney200 m freestyle S5
Gold medal – first place2000 Sydney4×50 m freestyle 20 pts
Gold medal – first place2000 Sydney4×50 m medley 20 pts
Gold medal – first place2004 Athens50 m freestyle S5
Gold medal – first place2004 Athens100 m freestyle S5
Gold medal – first place2004 Athens200 m freestyle S5
Silver medal – second place2008 Beijing200 m freestyle S5
Silver medal – second place2008 Beijing4×50 m freestyle 20 pts
Silver medal – second place2012 London50 m freestyle S5
Bronze medal – third place2008 Beijing50 m freestyle S5
Bronze medal – third place2008 Beijing4×50 m medley 20 pts
Bronze medal – third place2012 London100 m freestyle S5
Bronze medal – third place2012 London200 m freestyle S5
IPC World Championships
Gold medal – first place2015 GlasgowMen's 50m freestyle S5
IPC European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 Reykjavik 50 m freestyle S5
Gold medal – first place 2009 Reykjavik 100 m freestyle S5
Gold medal – first place 2009 Reykjavik 4x50m medley relay 20pts
Gold medal – first place2014 EindhovenMen's 50m freestyle S5
Gold medal – first place2014 EindhovenMen's 100m freestyle S5
Gold medal – first place2014 EindhovenMen's 200m freestyle S5
Gold medal – first place2014 Eindhoven4x50m mixed freestyle relay 20pts
Bronze medal – third place2016 Funchal100m freestyle S5
Bronze medal – third place2016 Funchal200m freestyle S5
Bronze medal – third place2016 FunchalMixed 50m medley relay 20pts

Early life and criminal activities

Rodríguez was born in Cadiz, Andalusia, Spain on 27 February 1957.[1][2] He is nicknamed Chano.[3]

In the 1980s he was a member of the Spanish terrorist organisation First of October Anti-Fascist Resistance Groups (Spanish: Grupos de Resistencia Antifascista Primero de Octubre, GRAPO).[4][5] In 1984, at the age of 26, he was jailed for 84 years for his role in the murder of Seville business leader Rafael Padura and a series of bomb attacks.[2][4][6]

In 1990 while in prison he went on hunger strike for 432 days, leaving his health permanently damaged and resulting in him losing the use of his legs.[2][4][6][7] He was released on parole from prison in 1994 under a Spanish law which says that the seriously ill should not be jailed, and in 2007 he was pardoned by the Spanish Government.[2][4][6]

Swimming

Rodríguez is an S5 swimmer.[8] In his swimming career, he has earned over 20 total medals.[6] His training base is Vigo.[3]

In 2010, Rodríguez competed at the Tenerife International Open.[9] Rodríguez competed at the 2010 Adapted Swimming World Championship in the Netherlands. In advance of the competition, he attended a swimming camp with the national team that was part of the Paralympic High Performance Program (HARP Program).[10] He competed at the 2011 IPC European Swimming Championships in Berlin, Germany. He earned a gold medal. He almost finished first in the 4x50 meter freestyle relay with teammates Richard Oribe, Alvaro Bayona and Jordi Gordillo but a bad touch led to disqualification.[11][12][13] He competed at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships.[3][14][15]

Paralympics

Rodríguez first competed at the Paralympics at the 2000 Sydney Games. He took part having told Spanish officials that he lost his legs in a traffic accident,[7] but he lost his leg during a hunger strike during its years in prison.[16] He won five gold medals at the Games and set four new world records.[5] Three of his golds came in individual freestyle events in the S5 classification, as he set world records in the 50 metres,[17] 100 metres[18] and 200 metres.[19] He also won gold medals as part of the Spanish relay teams in the 4×50 m freestyle 20 pts and the 4×50 m medley 20 pts, setting a new world record in the freestyle relay.[20][21] The truth about how he came to be disabled was revealed by a Spanish newspaper during the Games, which led to calls for him to return his medals;[2] however, his participation was backed by politicians from his home town.[5]

At the 2004 Summer Paralympics held in Athens, Greece, Rodriguez won a further three gold medals. He successfully defended his titles in the 50 m, 100 m and 200 m freestyle events, setting new world records in the final of each event.[22][23][24]

In 2008 he competed in his third Paralympics at the Beijing Games in China. Rodríguez won four medals: silvers in the 200 m freestyle and the 4×50 m freestyle 20 pts,[25][26] and bronze medals in the 50 m freestyle and the 4×50 m medley relay 20 pts.[27][28][29]

His fourth Paralympic appearance came at the 2012 Games in London, United Kingdom. He won three medals at the Games;[1][2][6] silvers in the 50 m freestyle and 200 m freestyle,[7] and a bronze in the 100 m.[30][31][32]

References
  1. "Sebastian Rodriguez". London2012.com. London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  2. Gabino, Rosario (8 September 2012). "Spanish swimmer Sebastian Rodriguez triumphs over dark past". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  3. "Deportes : La extremeña Isabel Yinghua Hernández competirá en el Campeonato del Mundo de Natación Paralímpica" (in Spanish). Spain: Extremaduradehoy.com. Archived from the original on 11 August 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  4. Addley, Esther (30 August 2012). "Paralympics 2012: Spanish swimmer leaves violent past for glory in the pool". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  5. "Spain backs controversial Paralympic hero". BBC News. 1 September 2000. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  6. "Los diez indultos más polémicos de la democracia española — Qué.es" (in Spanish). Que.es. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  7. Scott-Elliot, Robin (31 August 2012). "Rodriguez defies age barrier and chequered past to secure silver". The Independent. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  8. "Biografías" (in Spanish). Spain: Comité Paralímpico Español. 2012. Archived from the original on August 9, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  9. "Los nadadores paralímpicos baten siete récords de España en el Open Internacional de Tenerife — Natación — Esto es DxT" (in Spanish). Spain: Estoesdxt.es. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  10. "Los nadadores paralímpicos baten siete récords de España — ABC.es — Noticias Agencias" (in Spanish). Spain: ABC.es. 14 May 2010. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  11. "La nadadora valenciana Anna Ortiz, campeona de Europa de 50 metros braza" (in Spanish). Spain: elperiodic.com. 31 July 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  12. Malagaes.com (18 July 2013). "Noticias de Málaga : La andaluza Marta Gómez logra su segunda medalla de bronce en el Europeo de Natación Paralímpica — MALAGAES.COM 05/07/2011" (in Spanish). Spain: Malagaes.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  13. "Teresa Perales suma su segunda plata en Berlín" (in Spanish). Spain: Aragondigital.es. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  14. Estadio deportivo (27 February 2013). "Marta Gσmez, en busca de ser finalista en el Mundial de Nataciσn Paralνmpica" (in Spanish). Spain: Estadio deportivo. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  15. Agencia EFE. "Los nadadores canarios Michelle Alonso e Israel Oliver competirán por triunfo" (in Spanish). Spain: Eldiariomontanes.es. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  16. "Spanish swimmer Sebastian Rodriguez triumphs over dark past". BBC Sport.
  17. "Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 50 m Freestyle S5". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  18. "Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 100 m Freestyle S5". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  19. "Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 200 m Freestyle S5". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  20. "Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 4×50 m Freestyle 20 pts". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  21. "Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 4x50 m Medley 20 pts". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  22. "ATHENS 2004 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 50 m Freestyle S5". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  23. "ATHENS 2004 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 100 m Freestyle S5". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  24. "ATHENS 2004 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 200 m Freestyle S5". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  25. "Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 200 m Freestyle S5". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  26. "Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 4x50 m Freestyle 20 pts". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  27. "Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 50 m Freestyle S5". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  28. Mcbeth, John (10 September 2008). "Paralympics: Kiwi news day three". Television New Zealand. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  29. "Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Swimming Men's 4x50 m Medley 20 pts". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  30. "Paralympics: US swimmer Arlen wins 100m freestyle gold". Channel NewsAsia. 9 September 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  31. "Men's 100m Freestyle — S5". The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Limited. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  32. "Men's 200m Freestyle — S5". The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Limited. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2012.

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