The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, on Monday celebrated the birthday of the glory of the national sport, Francisco “Morochetto” Rodriguez, the boxing legend who awarded the nation its first Olympic gold.
“Congratulations to Francisco ‘Morochetto’ Rodriguez, the boxer from Comania who won the first gold medal at the Olympic Games in Mexico in 1968,” the head of state stated on his social media accounts.
Francisco “Morochito” Rodríguez is a former professional boxer born on September 20, 1945 in Cumana, Sucre State, who at the age of eleven took his first steps in this sporting discipline.
He achieved the feat of giving his country its first gold medal on October 26, 1968, in the flyweight category, during the Olympic Games in Mexico, after defeating South Korea’s Young Joo Ji.
He participated in other international sporting events, including: the V Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada 1967, and the Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia 1971, where he won gold in both duels. Con el Mazo Dando reported that he was also present at seven world competitions, where he was a knockout champion.
After retiring from the ring, he devoted himself to youth coaching in El Paraíso, Caracas, where he founded the “Morochito” Rodríguez boxing club.
I congratulate Francisco “Morochetto” Rodriguez, the boxer from Comania who brought home his first gold medal at the Olympic Games in Mexico in 1968. Thank you for being a role model for our golden generation, you are a Venezuelan pride. A happy life! pic.twitter.com/u4QKuvlMsi
– Nicolas Maduro (@Nicolas Maduro) September 20 2021
/ CP
