Basque Pelota was a demonstration sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. It was the fourth and last time that the sport was included in the Olympic program; it was an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Games in Paris, and a demonstration sport in 1924 and 1968.
The Basque Pelota events were held from 25 July to 5 August in the Olympic area of Vall d'Hebron, where a 54m long court, a 36m long court, and a trinquet were built and a 30m long court was refurbished. In each modality, the participants were the four best classified countries at the World Championships held in Cuba in 1990. However, the United States renounced to participate and had to be replaced by the team that had finished in fifth place when necessary. [1]
Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
Basket-pelota (54m) | Konpa, Atain, Celaya, Oianguren Spain | Bordes, Etcheberry, Etchalus, Abadoberry France | Valdes Brothers, Ugartechea Mexico |
Frontenis, Men's (30m) | Salazar Brothers Mexico | Gonzalez, Anduiza Cuba | Velasco, Fite, Font, Roig Spain |
Frontenis, Women's (30m) | Rosa María Flores / Miriam Muñoz Mexico | Navarrete, Palacios, Ortiz, Martinez Spain | Martha Domínguez / Haymed Valdés Cuba |
Hand-pelota doubles (Trinquet) | Saldaña Brothers, Santamaria, Zea Mexico | Goñi, Larrañaga, Choperena, Ruiz Spain | Muscarditz, Cotabarren, Sallaberry, Falxa France |
Paleta-leather (Trinquet) | Elortondo, Abadia, Bizzozero Argentina | Mendiluce, Altadill, Ubanell, Egaña Spain | Arenas, Cambos, Cazemayor, Petrissans France |
Paleta-rubber (Trinquet) | Ross Brothers, Romano, Miró Argentina | Lissar, Lasalle, Amadoz France | Irizar, Pagoaga, Sagarzazu, Eguinoa Spain |
Hand-pelota singles (36m) | Beloki, Baceta Spain | Hirigoyen, Muguida France | Quesada, López Carrillo Cuba |
Hand-pelota doubles (36m) | Lujambio, Balerdi, Balanza, Fernández Spain | Juzan, Mutuberria, Bergara, Espil France | Vera, Olivos, Izquierdo Mexico |
Paleta-leather (36m) | Insausti, Juan Pablo, Tejada, Huros Spain | Iniestra, Musi, Aguirre, Mercadillo Mexico | Filippo, Huete, Canut, Elortondo Argentina |
Short bat (36m) | Daniel, Gárrido, Hernández, Araujo Spain | Iniestra, Musi, Medina Mexico | González R., González V. Cuba |
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Spain (ESP) | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
2 | Mexico (MEX) | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
3 | Argentina (ARG) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
4 | France (FRA) | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
5 | Cuba (CUB) | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Totals (5 entries) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
Note: Since Basque Pelota was a demonstration sport, medals were awarded, but the medals were not "official" (and did not count in the respective nations' medal totals).
The 1992 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXV Olympiad and officially branded as Barcelona '92, were an international multi-sport event held from 25 July to 9 August 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Beginning in 1994, the International Olympic Committee decided to hold the Summer and Winter Olympics in alternating even-numbered years. The 1992 Summer and Winter Olympics were the last games to be staged in the same year. These games were the second and last two consecutive Olympic games to be held in Western Europe after the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, held five months earlier.
The 1900 Summer Olympics, today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad and also known as Paris 1900, were an international multi-sport event that took place in Paris, France, from 14 May to 28 October 1900. No opening or closing ceremonies were held.
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At the 1900 Summer Olympics, a Basque pelota tournament was contested.
Jai alai is a Basque sport involving bouncing a ball off a walled-in space by accelerating it to high speeds with a hand-held wicker, commonly referred to as a cesta. It is a variation of Basque pelota. The term jai alai, coined by Serafin Baroja in 1875, is also often loosely applied to the fronton where matches take place. The game, whose name means "merry festival" in Basque, is called zesta-punta in the Basque Country. The sport is played worldwide, but especially in Spain, France, the U.S. state of Florida, and in various Latin American countries.
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Basque pelota was featured at the Summer Olympics at the 1900 Games. It was contested in another three Olympics as a demonstration sport: 1924, 1968 and 1992.
Basque Pelota was a demonstration sport at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. It was the third time that the sport was included in the Olympic program; it was an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Games in Paris, and a demonstration sport in 1924. It would be included as a demonstration sport once again at the 1992 Games in Barcelona.
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The International Federation of Basque Pelota is the worldwide governing body for Basque pelota, recognized by the International Olympic Committee. It sets the regulations for international competition and organizes the competitions.
A fronton is a two-walled or single-walled court used as a playing area for Basque pelota.
The Pavelló de la Vall d'Hebron is an indoor venue located in Barcelona, Spain. The building was completed in 1991 for the Games.
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