Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
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Nationality | Nicaraguan | |||||||||||||||||
Born | 29 January 1971 | |||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Long-distance running | |||||||||||||||||
Event | 5000 metres | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Martha Portobanco (born 29 January 1971) is a Nicaraguan long-distance runner. She competed in the women's 5000 metres at the 1996 Summer Olympics. [1]
Portobanco won two Central American Games medals as a member of the Nicaraguan 4 × 400 metres relay team. Her first came at the 1990 Games in Tegucigalpa, where she won bronze leading off the team. [2] [3]
She competed in her first global championship at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics, qualifying in the 1500 m and 300 m. In the 1500 m, she finished 12th in her heat in 4:56.22, while in the 3000 m she finished 15th in her qualifier in 10:48.08. [4] Portobanco also set the Nicaraguan 10,000 m record of 40:13.20 in 1993, which still stood as of 2014 [update] . [5]
Portobanco won her second medal at the 1994 Central American Games. She led off the Nicaraguan silver medal-winning 4 × 400 m team, finishing behind El Salvador. [2] [3]
She competed in the 1500 m and 5000 m at the 1995 World University Games in Fukuoka, Japan. Portobanco finished 11th in her 1500 m heat but finished 18th in the 5000 m finals, setting a personal best of 18:28.31 minutes. [6] [4]
At the 1996 Olympics, Portobanco was seeded in the 3rd 5000 m heat. She placed 15th, failing to advance. Her time of 18:42.78 was noted to have failed to improve upon her personal best. [7]
Portobanco also competed at the 1997 World Championships in Athletics in the 5000 m. She finished 21st in her heat with a 19:08.44 minute time. [4] [8]
Portobanco attended the National University of Engineering in Nicaragua. [9]
In 2019, Portobanco received a plaque of recognition from her alma mater. She was called in Spanish an illustrious figure that raised the university's profile. [9]