FILAPEDIA: SPEED

Today FILAPEDIA brings you much-loved word in the world of sport – speed.

We all know, just how many sports require reaching the goal in the shortest possible time. Browsing through an encyclopaedia however, you can’t help but be amazed on the number of other fields where that is also important, from physics, mechanics, aeronautics and astronomy to chemistry and, of course, technology. In language (which fortunately is subject to constant change) life in the fast lane leads us to opposites. The hashtag #slowlife is all the rage on social media – a concept that advocates for calmness and the pleasure of small things in the face of everyday frenzy.

At FILA, ‘speed’ means paying tribute to Germán Silva, a Mexican marathon runner Born in 1968 in Tecomate, Veracruz, Silva grew up in a large family of 13 children. He made his sporting debut show jumping, but after running the 10,000 metres at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics (where he finished sixth) his career changed to running. His breakthrough year was in 1994, at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Oslo. He missed out on first place by just one second, but his timing of 1:00:28 is still the Mexican record for half marathons.

The 1994 New York Marathon is remembered by many. Half a mile from the finish line, Silva was running second place to fellow Mexican runner Benjamín Paredes. At a certain point, perhaps due to fatigue, he followed a police car and unwittingly took a wrong turn into Central Park. The public couldn’t believe it. Fans cried in despair, and many onlookers mocked. Luckily, Silva comes to his senses, and in 12-13 seconds of desperate running he made up for lost time. He caught up with Paredes in a final stretch and incredibly wins by a second. Considered to be the most emblematic moment in the history of the event, he went on to become a champion nicknamed ‘Wrong Way Silva’

After retiring from professional running in 2001, Silva is now a coach and philanthropist. He distributes running shoes to Mexican children and organises events that promote the sport in rural communities. In 2011 he received the Abebe Bikila award from the New York Road Runners Club – an accolade given for sporting and humanitarian merits. In 2014, Philip VI, King of Spain, presented him the Principe de Asturias Award.