Isabel Avellán
Argentine discus thrower
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Isabel Ercilla Avellán (20 August 1933 – 20 September 2010) was an Argentine athlete.[1] She competed in the women's discus throw at the 1956 Summer Olympics.[2]
Isabel Avellán in 1953 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Isabel Ercilla Avellán |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Born | 20 August 1933 |
| Died | 20 September 2010 (aged 77) |
| Height | 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in) |
| Weight | 70 kg (154 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | Discus throw |
Biography
Avellán was born in 1933, and at the age of nineteen, she won the discus and the shot put events at the 1952 Argentine Championships.[3] By 1954, she had become a three-time national champion in the discus throw.[3]
At the 1955 Pan American Games in Mexico City, Avellán won the silver medal in the women's discus throw,[4][5] setting a new national record.[3] A year later, at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Avellán was the flag bearer for Argentina,[6] becoming the first female flag bearer for the nation at the Olympics.[7] Avellán competed in the women's discus throw at the Olympics, finishing in sixth place out of 22 participants.[8]
Avellán also competed at multiple editions of the South American Championships in Athletics,[9] winning gold in the discus in the 1956 Championships,[10] and two golds, in the discus and shot put, at the 1958 Championships.[11]
After moving to Australia with her husband, Frank De Neefe,[1] Avellán won the discus event at the 1960 Australian Athletics Championships.[12]
Avellán and her husband were married from 1956 until his death in 2007. They had a daughter, Brigid.[1]
International competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  Argentina | |||||
| 1953 | South American Championships (unofficial) | Santiago, Chile | 2nd | Shot put | 11.37 m |
| 1st | Discus throw | 41.17 m | |||
| 1955 | Pan American Games | Mexico City, Mexico | 2nd | Discus throw | 40.06 m |
| 1956 | South American Championships | Santiago, Chile | 4th | Shot put | 11.20 m |
| 1st | Discus throw | 44.08 m | |||
| Olympic Games | Melbourne, Australia | 6th | Discus throw | 46.73 m | |
| 1958 | South American Championships | Montevideo, Uruguay | 1st | Shot put | 12.69 m |
| 1st | Discus throw | 44.57 m | |||
Personal bests
- Shot put – 12.69 m (Montevideo 1958)
- Discus throw – 47.22 m (La Plata 1956) former NR
