Alberto Domínguez (cyclist)
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- Uruguay
- Australia
cyclist (formerly)
Alberto Domínguez | |
|---|---|
 Domínguez working in radio | |
| Born | 12 July 1934 Montevideo, Uruguay |
| Died | 11 September 2001 (aged 67) North Tower, World Trade Center, New York City, U.S. |
| Citizenship |
|
| Occupations | Radio host cyclist (formerly) |
Alberto Domínguez (12 July 1934 – 11 September 2001), known as El Pocho,[1] was a Uruguayan and Australian professional cyclist, radio host, and community organiser. He competed for two clubs in Uruguay, where he won a national competition in 1953.
On 11 September 2001, Domínguez was aboard American Airlines Flight 11 and died along with the rest of passengers and crew when the hijackers crashed the plane into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan. He was one of 10 Australians killed in the September 11 attacks.[1]
Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 12 July 1934, Domínguez grew up in the Montevideo neighbourhood of Buceo.[2] In his youth, he graduated as a technician and an electrician, working since the age of 16 for the local government in Montevideo. In 1955, Domínguez married Marta Barboza, with whom he had four children: three sons and a daughter.[2]
Career
Domínguez was a well-renowned cyclist in Uruguay,[3] competing for Club Ciclista América and later for Club Unión Ciclista, winning a national tournament in Uruguay in 1953 with Club Unión.[2][4] He later represented Uruguay at the 1956 Summer Olympics as part of a team along Alberto Velázquez and Rodolfo Rodino.[4] Domínguez also took part in the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago, Illinois, and in the 1963 Pan American Games in São Paulo, Brazil.[4][2] Walter Cabral, a teammate, later remembered Domínguez as a "happy guy" and an "excellent person" who was always willing to help others.[2]
In November 1973, shortly after that year's coup d'état in Uruguay, Domínguez immigrated to Australia with his wife and children as part of a group of refugees escaping the civic-military dictatorship.[5] The family settled in Sydney, where Domínguez worked for the state railway company.[2] He joined Qantas, Australia's flag carrier, where he worked as a baggage handler.[5][2]
Domínguez was also involved in radio, working for the SBS Radio service in Spanish.[5][2] His distinctive Rioplatense Spanish made him a popular host in SBS Radio Spanish service, helping Uruguayans immigrating to Australia to feel comfortable while adapting to the language and lifestyle.[5]
A community organiser in Sydney, Domínguez founded Uruguayos Unidos, an organisation aimed at collecting money for hospitals, schools, and other types of medical centres in Uruguay.[2] Among his community services to the Uruguayan diaspora, Domínguez invited Uruguayans in Sydney to watch soccer games at his home.[2] Known for his sense of humour, Domínguez referred to himself as a "Spanish-speaking Australian".[1][5]