ALBERTO JUANTORENA wus We had wanted to interview him for ages, and T had been packing a plaque honoring him as 1976's Athlete of the Year around Europe for almost 2 weeks. ‘After this auspicious start, it was there- fore rather disheartening when the frst five things he said to me were “NNO!, amghisrsty, mmm, mmm” and “mmm ‘The first response comes the next night on the warmup track. I'm rot a fan of opening ceremonies, so T hang around outside to play a litte Frisbee with some of the US. team Suddenly, there he is-The Man. Knowing that he is dying to meet me and to get hs plaque (I still don't know how he knew I had it), Tmake my move. Forgetting that your typical US. athlete is loo and retaxed, and that some of the more-disciplined athletes from the rest of the world might take pre-race preparation a bit more seriously, 1 approach him, flashing my best toothy arin, with hand extended. “Hi Alberto, I'm Garry...” “NNO!” Abruptly turning on his heel, he stalks away. “But I have a present for you,” 1 whimper in my most phintive voice. End of Round | Shortly thereafter, Juantorena takes hs Round I with Mike Boit Tam awakened early the next morning by a call from the ubiquitous Tassos Verghitsis, who claims to know just about everyone in the world, and may be righ ‘An expatriate Greek, Tassos has said, “Track and field is my life, and Track & Field Nows is my bible.” He knows we wanted Juanto. “I have arranged a half-hour interview at the Rheinstern Hotel in one hour,” he says. Grabbing former Staff Weiter Don Steffens for som: moral support (and 6-November 1977 T&FEN Interview by Garry Hill because he is am astute inquisitor), we head off. Racing through the raln-swept streets of Dusseldorf in our cab, Lam filled with doubts. What if he sill doesn't want to talk to me? My thoughts tumed to an carly-summer story in France's ‘Equipe, which said that Jugntorena got along well with American blacks but was standoffish to the WASP Pacific Coast Club. Will It00 be stung? The Rheinstem Hotel is a mob scene. Dozens of youngsters crowd the sidewalks, begging autographs from anything remotely. resembling an athlete. They don't ask us. “The lobby is today’s version of the noted har scene in Star Wars. A group of Africans, bedecked in orang: warmups, one corner, a bunch of greetrelad Asians another. Stacks of vaulting poles in the hallway. American. coaches/reeruiters making lastiminute pitches to exacerbate the foreigner problem. Shoe salesmen Pushing their wares. A pair of East Indian weightmen holding hands (no, Anita, customs are different there, A quick phone call, thon an ckvator ride with KarbHlans Richm to the 62h fo AA tentative knock on the door. No direct, response, but heads poke out of adjoining portals. "Eyes stare. You can read the minds: “Who are these mere mortals who dare to knock on the door of the great Juantorens?” Another knock, and still no response ‘Then the realization that the bouncing beat of music isn't the hotel's hallway Muzak. It’s coming from inside the room, A couple of vigorous fists produce results. “Amghisrsty,” says Juantorena, tooth- brush clamped between his teeth, lips flecked with foam. Clad in one of the skimpizst pairs of red bikini underwear known to man. “My God!” 1 think. “He's human after al! He has o brash his eth just ke While we wait for Alberto to finish his ablutions, we take the lead offered by his pointing finger and move into the main room, walls vibrating with sound. ‘On the dresser is a massive record player, pumping its notes through a pair of large floor speakers. The volume s cranked all the way right and we are treated to what seems like a thousand decibels worth of the Isley Brothers. Of course, if we didn’t like ‘that, we could have chosen something else from the healthy stack on the floor. ‘The room is strewn with the memonibiia and clutter of 6 months on the Tod. And enough adidas bags to carry it all. “There was obviously joy and celebration after the victory over Boit. A. champagne bottle (unopened) is on the Gresser and the ashtrays are ful ‘And stil trying to sleep through it all js roommate Alejandro Castnas, the world 110 hurdle record holder. He acknowledges cour presence, then once more ties to hide Bis feed under a unde of Blankets anda pv Feantorena glides back into the 100m. What a specimen! Hle may be The Horse CE? Gabaito} When he tans, But sbinking around the room virtually’ au naturel he is definitely £1 Tigre Not an ounce of adipox tissue clings to his body. You a body culture freak? You like “his quadriceps and hamstrings? You ought to see where they dive back under the skin at point of insertion. But his anatomy (6-2/185, bom 3/21/31) is wellknown. It’s his head into which we want to get Trying to get « cogent interview done in a mere 30 minutesisa pretty tough task. Aayboy, Tor example. tes you that its famous interviews tske phice over hours and hours in a period of months. We never take nearly that long, but certainly a lot more than the half-hour allotted to us here. And we are without the benefit of @ translator, working solely on our subject's knowledge of English, What emerged for us was a fascinating ricture of Iuantorens. While there was just bit of the mandatory revolutionary Thetorie one finds in virtually every plece Track & Field Newsvwaitien on him, it passion. He's an athlete who travels the World. And perhaps his travels and views into different cultures are depoliticizing him, We also saw avery inteligent, probing. ‘mind, Very rarely did we have to rephrase a ‘question. And he was able to quickly cut through to the heat of the matter. Terribly pragmatic, he did not give trite, embellished answers (0. simple questions. Rather, there was a look of ‘Ny ate you asking me tha!? You already know the answer” and a noncommital nt. AK least he doest get misquoted that way. His eyes are alive, ever-twinkling. And his mouth is in an enigmatic slant. He appears constantly bemused. Was he laughing at us? I got the feeling throughout our session that he was playing cat-and-mouse. don’t think he likes journalists, and. he probably isn't a fan of Americans. But he knows the value of promotion, and he knows TREN place in the world. He wants to be known 28 the world’s best, and he wants the U.S. to be prepared for his coming. vee ‘Things begin slowly as our first three tutterances-introductions, an apology for interrupting his prerace psych, and congratulations for being the 1976 Athlete of the Year~provoke “mmm, mmm” and With great ado, | produce his plaque and prosent it. After a long pause, in which Bible of the Sport Juantorena examines every square Centimeter, the interview is underway, albeit a bit digointed: TEN: You must have a lot of awards and trophies Juantorena [after another tong pense: First one like this. TFN: Well, maybe next year you will get another one. Now that you are running the 800 more and more, do vou like the 800 more than the 400, tess, the Suantorena: More the 800. T&FN: Do you feel that you can run different kinds of races now, start siow. start fas it makes no difference? Juartorena: None. | can change my speed now. T&FN: Were vou surprised last night whew it was slow in the first quarter? Iuantorena: No. TAEN: Did you know that Boit was always right behind you? SJuantorena: | wes all the time waiting for Bots attack. T&EN: You could tell on the curve when he started to sprint? Iuantorena: Yes, T&EN: You never 1 catch you? Juantorena: Never. Ihave fought with him, both of us running fast laps and running slow and I best him both times. T&EN: You travelled arownd « bit in Europe this summer, Juantorena: Hungary, many plices TAFN: Which countries do you like to sisi in Europe? Juantorena: Some countries are very It is too difficult for me to choose November 1977-7 sht he would Sweden, Polandbetween them. T&FN: Do you like to go dnd visit the ceustes, the old buildings? Suantorena: And museums and gardens. Especially gardens. TAPN: You like flowers and trees? Juantorena: And grass green. Green grass is nice, [Tike to ron on TEEN: After Montreal, you said you were glad thet your country lied given you Ihe chance 10 compete and there were stories that you were going to go hack and work in the eanefields, Did you? Juantorena: Every Cuban worksin the sugareane. Everyone neips the Cuban economy. For me it was 4 years ago. 1 could not help last year because it was during my preparation season. Before I was a runner 1 helped with the harvest. That lasts for 6 months. I did it for 2 years when Twain the army. TEN: Does everyone in Cuba g9 into the army? Juantorena: Everybody is proud 10 defend the Cuban Revolution. T&EN: A German paper sold that Premier Castro came down out of the mountains near where you live. Juantorena: Yes, just 2 years after 1 was born. TFN: After you became Olympic champion, how many times did you get 10 ‘meet Premier Castro? Juantorena: Two times. He was all the time talking athletics because he was an athlete who was a basketball player and 800-meter man. TEEN: Whet wos his best time? Juantorena {aughing): You know, he fold me he could never run less than 2 minutes. T&FN: One question I've always wanted t0 ask you: do you miss basketball? Juantorena: Yes, | was a basketball player first—but bad. T&PN: Bed? Juantorena: Yes, bad. TREN: Do you ever play it for fan? Juantorena:” Never for fun, it was on the National Junior Team. TEEN: No, no. Now, do you play for Sun, relaxation? Juantorena: Just for preparation. Preparation for athieties. TEEN: Do you do other sports? Juansorena: Switnmning. T&FN: I'm gad. I sink [laughter elt around). In America, after the Montreal Olympics, you were probably the most popular athlete, maybe even more than Bruce Fenner. {'think you wif have a very trong following on the day you come to America and you will draw very big crowds ‘end they will clap very loudly. Would you Uke 10 come someday? Jugntorena: Why not? If we have lose relations, all is possible. TEEN: How about in Conada? Juantorena {reaching under his bed to produce a brochure]: | have this invitation from the Toronto, Star. T&EN: Indoors! [Thinking of those Bible of the Sport ong legs on those tight curves. Juantorena: Maybe 1 will be there in February. TFN: You think you can run on the boards? Jeantorena: Mmnnvhmm. T&FN: Do you have different eruning schedules in preparing for the 800 and the 4007 Juantorena: | combine the training. “| Was Afraid in The Olympics’ ‘Training for the 400 meters helps the 800. And some resistance training in the 800 helps. T&FN: Do distance in the fall? Juantorena: No, no, not so much. The Jongest Irun for the 400 is only 300 meters anda alt. TREN: You never run eross country? Juantorena: Not so much kilometers. I think Tam the only 800 meter runner 1o have only 1000 kilometers in a year. Only- T&FN: Only a thowand! You must run that many in races [large laughter all around). Juantorena: The others run 3000 kilometers, 2 thousind and a half. TEEN: Do vou think you would lose your speed if you ran that far? Juantorena: Manian (voncoraaital]« T&FN: When you fist ran the 500, were you scared? Juantorent: 1 yas afraid in the Olympics because { was thinking that Thad to have the power to run 3 times 800 and then try to get a medal. T&EN: What has the result of sour success in the Olympics been in Cuba? Juantorena: There is now more attraction for track and field. You know. Fike the children all the time want to do what they think is most important. For example, when Stevenson won a medal, children was fighting in the street {at which hhe goes through 2 quick shadow-boxing routine]. Like Stevenson, ‘And now, all children are running in the streets. Everybody calls now {switching itched faleattol: “Suantorena, you run much tong TAC this point, the phone rings for the third time during the interview] TEN: Do you get many phone call? Do people aways want to tale 10 you? Jugntorena: Just journalists like you. T&EN: Yah, journalisis like us. No girls though, because you are married, no? Juartorena: Yes, Uhave 2 kids. One of them is only 2 months. TEEN: Fave you seen him yet? Juantorena: Yes, at the London sigport. The other one, my daughter, is 2 ystre and 10, almost 3 year TREN: [ think that many people tn America would be surprited thet You speck such good Ergish Teantorent: English good! No! Dre never been ih te schools forthe English. TEEN: How did you arn? Jantorenn: Casinas teach me CCasanas [till buried to the eyes under the covers and who speaks even better ‘English Lite bit TEEN Juaking the baitl: Did he really? [then,eatchig the grins and winks the Cubansare exchanging) Oh, a joe Inancorena: Aoke. TEEN Who us Your Kol when vou were youn Jwantorena: My idol? {world record holding sprinter] TEEN: What did your wije do before you were married? “Inentorent: Sho was a student, she studied’ mathematios-computers. Now she fs changing to physcal education at Habana University TEEN: What wil you do when you {nsh running? Jnantorera: | will £0 t0 work. In economics. TEEN: You have to learn how 10 spend your money? Juantorena’ [grinning broadly and making a dealing motion]: Count the ‘money, count the mney. TAL this point, a slight man enters the room and fies off a. quick round of staceato Spanish and leaves a8 suddenly 3 eapprared| Gentlemens, the interview is over ‘hank you. T must go for my massage As it tured out, we had been able to sneak almost 40 minutes of his time. But no, it wasn't enought ase him about his plans for the 1300, tactics, hs opponents, ft. We now have lots of pood questions Inf for nent time. ‘Asa posiscript, we take you 10 the practice track that evening. Don and I vere Aiscussng the state of the Earth. with Britain's Dave Jenkine whon we heard a commotion a the gate “NNO, NNO! said the familiar voice of youknowho. There was a young local forcing a pen and paper into Iuantocena's shest. Totally” incensed, he dashed. the offending implements to the ground ard stalked onto the invield. Within seconds, feverl more Kinder flocked to his knees with photographers drcing about t0 catch the image ofthis lone ire inthe middle of idewrt. Muttering 4 few nasty words and waving his arms, Jusntorena charged from ine group and stomped off tobe atone. ‘Moments liter, he passed by” the fence, hands on hips, ssow on face. Ase rotsed us, he looked up, ecoked one side ff his mouth and gave a glant wink that only wo could se. Maybe we will get anext time. November 1977-9 Figuerola