Fernando Mamede was 74 years old.
Fundista died due to heart complications at the age of 74. “I received the news like a bombshell, I wasn’t expecting it,” said Domingos Castro, president of the Portuguese Athletics Federation (FPA) and friend of Mamede.
Fernando Mamede, one of the biggest names in the history of Portuguese athletics and holder, for more than a decade, of the world record for 10,000 meters, died this Wednesday at the age of 74, reported Sporting, the club he represented.
“Sporting expresses its deep regret at the death of Fernando Mamede, a former Lions athlete who passed away this Tuesday at the age of 74”, reads a message published by the Alvalade club on its official website.
In addition to 10,000 meter world recordwhich he maintained between 1984 and 1999, Mamede, born in Beja, was present in three Olympic Games (Munich1972, Montreal1976 and Los Angeles1984).
“In addition to the countless medals, including bronze at the 1981 cross-country World Championships, he was European and world record holder and contributed to several of Sporting’s collective achievements, and is still remembered today as a legend of the sport”, recalled the ‘lions’.
According to the Portuguese media, which cites sources from the Portuguese Athletics Federation, Fernando Mamede died due to heart complications.
The Portuguese Athletics Federation (FPA) highlighted the “legacy” left by Fernando Mamede, highlighting the career of “excellence” and the “dedication” of a “unique figure”.
“It is with deep regret that we inform and mourn the passing of Fernando Mamede, a unique figure whose career was marked by excellence and dedication, which led him to break a world 10,000m record, three European and two dozen national records. His remarkable journey constitutes a legacy that will remain as a reference and inspiration”, transmitted the organization led by Domingos Castro.
For its part, the Portuguese Olympic Committee (COP) praised, through social media, “one of the biggest names in national athleticswho was present at three editions of the Olympic Games”, while the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) mourned the death of “an outstanding athlete”.
“The death of Fernando Mamede represents a huge loss for the entire Portuguese sport. A favorite athlete, he was one of the greatest figures ever in world athletics and a reference for all fans of the sport”, reads a message from the president of the FPF, Pedro Proença, published on the entity’s official website.
Fernando Mamede was one of “the best in the world of all time”defended the president of the Portuguese Athletics Federation (FPA), who received the news of the death of his idol and former training partner as “a bombshell”.
“I received the news like a bomb, I wasn’t expecting it. […] As a companion, teammate, [era] a great man. We trained together for many years, twice a day, every day. And, really, for me it was a big surprise”, said Domingos Castro, speaking to the Lusa agency.
“A few months ago I received an appeal for help and I made the federation’s medical team available to go to Mamede’s house, they went, they did what they could, what they left to do”, reported the federative leader.
Castro recalled that the three-time Olympian “never demonstrated in his day-to-day life the problems he had”, alluding to mental health problems of the athlete born in Beja.
“This only happened in big competitions, because on a daily basis he was a very happy person, always in a good mood, a great companion. That’s why anyone who didn’t know his problems didn’t realize what he had,” he added.
Despite the world record, and 27 national and three European records, Mamede never managed to confirm his potential and talent on the big stagewith the bronze medal at the 1981 World Cross Country Championships being the honorable exception in an intermittent career.
“Mamede, Carlos Lopes, Rosa Mota, Fernanda Ribeiro, are the best in our sport. It’s unlikely – and I hope so – that there will be athletes comparable to them. And so, for me, Mamede was one of the best in the world of all time. Now, imagine if he didn’t have the problems he had, where could he have gone even further”, highlighted the FPA president.
Domingo Castro admitted that it was Mamede and the three Olympic champions who brought him to athletics. “They were my idols and, for that, I am very grateful to them for the rest of my life”, he concluded.
