Manolo Santana has passed away at 83 years of age, farewell to one of those pioneers who laid the foundations of Spanish sport. In a Spain in black and white and little used to having world-renowned heroes, this Madrid tennis player managed to win on the most prestigious stages of world tennis. For history remain his titles at Roland Garros in 1961 and 1964, his victory at the 1965 US Open and his exhibition at Wimbledon Cathedral in 1966. A reference to all the Spanish tennis players who came later, with Rafa Nadal to the head, and for a Spanish sport that will always remember Santana as one of the members of that group of pioneers who put Spain on the map. These are other examples:
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Federico Martín Bahamontes, Cycling
The 93-year-old from Toledo is a living history of cycling. The best climber of the 20th century, a figure that in a Spain still affected by war, the Águila de Toledo raised national pride by conquering the Tour de France in 1959.
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Ángel Nieto, Motorcycling
The great reference of Spanish motorcycling. Ángel Nieto won the first title for Spain … and added twelve more. Motorcycling is today what it is in large part thanks to him, because once he retired he also became the voice that on television brought his sport closer to several generations. He passed away in 2017 at age 70.
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Paco Fernández Ochoa, Ski
With his feat in Sapporo in 1972, Paquito Fernández Ochoa became the first individual Olympic champion and popularized the sport of skiing in Spain. His feat was so great in a sport such as skiing that he is not only considered a pioneer, but the best Spanish skier in history since he has never been close to repeating that milestone, only his sister Blanca 20 years later.
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Severiano Ballesteros, Golf
Golf was only entertainment for the rich in Spain until Seve won the British Open in 1979. The player who became a hero in Spain and one of the most spectacular players on the circuit. A genius who dazzled players and fans from all corners of the world.
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José Legrá, boxing
A phenomenon from Cuba that embraced Spanish nationality. He was compared to Muhammad Ali himself and was one of those stars who, based on world titles, brought boxing to the category of the beautiful game in the 1960s in Spain.
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Joaquín Blume (gymnastics)
A genius of gymnastics in a Spain, that of the late 50s, in which you could hardly dream of world references in disciplines like this. For history, his performance in the 1957 European Championship that continues to be one of the most iconic of a Spanish athlete in a world showcase. A plane crash in 1959 ended his life at the age of 25.