''For the Rolando Cruz related to the Illinois criminal case, see

Rolando Cruz case Rolando Cruz (born 1963) is an American man known for having been wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death, along with co-defendant Alejandro Hernandez, for the 1983 kidnapping, rape, and murder of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico in DuPage County ...

'' Rolando Cruz (born September 17, 1939, in Salinas, Puerto Rico) is a former

pole vault Pole vaulting, also known as pole jumping, is a track and field event in which an athlete uses a long and flexible pole, usually made from fiberglass or carbon fiber, as an aid to jump over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the Myc ...

er from

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

. He trained under

Jimmy Curran James Michael Curran (January 7, 1880 – February 7, 1963) was an athletics coach, best known for training five Olympic gold medallists. From 1900-1902 he fought with the Highland Light Infantry in the Second Boer War, serving much of that time u ...

Mercersburg Academy Mercersburg Academy (formerly Marshall College and Mercersburg College) is an independent selective college-preparatory boarding & day high school in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania in the United States. Founded in 1893, the school enrolls approximat ...

and Jim 'Jumbo' Elliott at

Villanova University Villanova University is a Private university, private Catholic church, Roman Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinians in 1842 and named after Thomas of Villanova, Sa ...

.Puerto Rican Vaulter Eyes Finn's Mark, ''Hutchison News'', February 4, 1963 He competed for his native country in three consecutive

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...

, starting in 1956. He is a three-time gold medalist at the Central American and Caribbean Games: 1959, 1962 and 1966. Cruz later became a lawyer and president of a life insurance company. From 1977 to 1981 he served as Commissioner Of Insurance of Puerto Rico.

References

sports-reference1963 Video
1939 births Olympic track and field athletes for Puerto Rico Athletes (track and field) at the 1956 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1959 Pan American Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics Living people People from Salinas, Puerto Rico Puerto Rican male pole vaulters Pan American Games bronze medalists for Puerto Rico Pan American Games medalists in athletics (track and field) Central American and Caribbean Games gold medalists for Puerto Rico Competitors at the 1959 Central American and Caribbean Games Competitors at the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games Competitors at the 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in athletics Medalists at the 1959 Pan American Games {{PuertoRico-athletics-bio-stub