Francisco "Frank" Guzmán Ruiz (born 2 August 1978) is a Mexican-American

shot put The shot put is a track-and-field event involving "putting" (throwing) a heavy spherical Ball (sports), ball—the ''shot''—as far as possible. For men, the sport has been a part of the Olympic Games, modern Olympics since their 1896 Summer Olym ...

ter.

Career

Guzmán grew up as a

Mexican-American Mexican Americans are Americans of full or partial Mexican descent. In 2022, Mexican Americans comprised 11.2% of the US population and 58.9% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexican Americans were born in the United State ...

, and he competed collegiately for the DePaul Blue Demons track and field team in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, Illinois. Mexican track coach

Elbert Pratt Elbert Pratt is a track and field coach. He currently resides in Monterrey, Mexico and serves as the Olympic Development Coach at the Tec de Monterrey and the President of the Pan American Pole Vault Association. Elbert Pratt also owns UniversalS ...

saw Guzmán's talent and encouraged him to apply for the Mexican team at the

2003 Pan American Games The 2003 Pan American Games, officially the XIV Pan American Games () and commonly known as Santo Domingo 2003, were held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from August 1 to 17, 2003. The successful bid for the Games was made in the mid-1990 ...

. His selection for the team was controversial, as he had not represented Mexico internationally before and his selection would have bumped out one other Mexican shot putter. In order to qualify for the team per FMAA rules, Guzmán had to compete in at least one shot put competition in Mexico with at least three competitors. Despite a boycott organized by the Mexican shot putter left off the team, a competition meeting these requirements was set up by Pratt for Guzmán against two Mexican teenagers. Guzmán broke the Mexican record at that meet and finished 9th at the Pan American Games for Mexico with a throw of 17.39 m. The highlight of Guzmán's career was a silver medal at the Central American and Caribbean Championships in

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

, with a throw of 17.82 meters. At the Ibero-American Championships, he finished 5th in

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

with a throw of 17.90 meters. In world-level competitions, Guzmán finished thirteenth at the 2003 Universiade, with a throw of 17.89 meters. His personal best put is 19.73 meters, achieved on 5 June 2004.

Achievements

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guzmán, Francisco 1978 births Living people 21st-century Mexican people Mexican male shot putters Pan American Games athletes for Mexico Athletes (track and field) at the 2003 Pan American Games Competitors at the 2003 Summer Universiade Place of birth missing (living people) DePaul Blue Demons men's track and field athletes Track and field athletes from Chicago American expatriate sportspeople in Mexico