Early Lifedelfo cabrera biography
Delfo Cabrera Gómez was born on April 2, 1919, in Armstrong, Santa Fe Province, Argentina, into a humble family. As a youth, he played football and began running home from work, which sparked his interest in athletics. Inspired by fellow Argentine Juan Carlos Zabala’s gold medal win in the marathon at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, Cabrera decided to pursue a career in long-distance running. In 1938, he moved to Buenos Aires, where he trained under coach Francisco Mura at the San Lorenzo de Almagro club. That same year, he claimed his first national championship in the 5,000 meters.
Military Service and Political Involvement
Cabrera served in the Argentine Army during World War II, where he met Juan Perón, the future president of Argentina. This connection led him to become an active member of the Justicialist Party (Peronist Party) after the war. In recognition of his contributions, he received the Peronist Medal in 1949.
Athletic Career
Cabrera amassed 10 national titles across various distances during his career, though none were in the marathon. His international breakthrough came at the 1948 London Olympics, marking his first major global competition. In one of the most dramatic finishes in Olympic history, Cabrera won the gold medal in the marathon. The race was led by Belgium’s Etienne Gailly, who entered the stadium first but collapsed from exhaustion on the final lap—reminiscent of Dorando Pietri’s infamous 1908 collapse. Cabrera surged past the faltering Gailly and Great Britain’s Tom Richards, crossing the finish line 16 seconds ahead of Richards for the win, with Gailly taking bronze.
He continued competing post-Olympics, securing gold in the inaugural Pan American Games marathon in Buenos Aires in 1951. At the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Cabrera placed sixth in the marathon with a personal best time of 2:26:43. His career concluded after a sixth-place finish at the 1954 Boston Marathon.
Later Life and Legacy
After retiring from competition, Cabrera taught physical education in several schools and remained involved in sports administration, eventually presiding over the Argentine Olympic Association. He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1989, despite not being Jewish himself—likely in recognition of his contributions to global athletics.
Death
Cabrera died tragically on August 2, 1981, at age 62, in a car accident near Alberti in Buenos Aires Province. He was returning from a reception in his honor in Lincoln when the incident occurred.