Adhemar da Silva
Athletics (sport) competitor
Died when: 73 years 105 days (879 months)Star Sign: Libra
Adhemar Ferreira da Silva (September 29, 1927 – January 12, 2001) was a Brazilian triple jumper.He won two Olympic gold medals and set four world records, the last being 16.56 metres in 1955 Pan American Games.
In his early career he also competed in the long jump, placing fourth at the 1951 Pan American Games.He broke world records in triple jump on five occasions during his illustrious career.
Up to date, he remains as the only track and field athlete from South America to have won two Olympic gold medals.
He also had close association with Czech veteran long-distance runner Emil Zátopek for over 50 years.He remained as the sole Olympic gold medalist for Brazil up until the 1980 Summer Olympics.
He is regarded as one of the finest ever South American athletes in history.He was the only Brazilian athlete to have won gold in two consecutive Olympics until the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London.
During the London Olympics, the Brazilian women's volleyball squad defended their title, obtained four years earlier in Beijing, making six of their members consecutive Olympic champions (Jaqueline Carvalho, Sheilla Castro, Fabiana Claudino, Thaísa Menezes, Fabiana Oliveira and Paula Pequeno).
He was the first Brazilian individual sportsperson to have set a world record in any sporting event.He became an extraordinary exceptional triple jumper despite not excelling in his speed and long jumping abilities.
He was also a polyglot during his lifetime as he had learnt various languages such as English, Finnish, French, Japanese, Italian, German and Spanish in addition to Portuguese.
He was a member of the São Paulo Futebol Clube, and because of him, the team coat has two gold stars above the emblem.
He also had a short stint for Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama from 1955 to 1959.
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