Fulgencia Romay

Fulgencia Romay
Personal information
Born (1944-01-16) January 16, 1944
Sport
SportTrack and field

Fulgencia Romay Martínez (born January 16, 1944) is a Cuban former sprinter who was made history at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City by winning a silver medal in the 4 × 100-meter relay alongside Marlene Elejarde, Violeta Quesada, and Miguelina Cobián. Romay established herself as a elite regional competitor, securing consecutive 4 × 100-meter relay silver medals at the 1962 and 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games, as well as a silver medal at the 1963 Pan American Games and a bronze medal at the 1963 Summer Universiade.

Early life

She was born on 16 January 1944 in Luyanó, Ciudad de La Habana.[1]

In 1962, she won the silver medal in the 4 × 100 meters relay at the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games with her teammates, Berta Díaz, Nereida Borges and Miguelina Cobián 47.3 seconds, losing to Jamaica and Panama in the third place.[2]

On 1963 Pan American Games, she won a silver medal in 4 × 100 meters relay at 46.4 seconds with Irene Martínez replacing Diaz and losing to the team from the United States of America in 45.56 seconds, consisting of Willye White, Marilyn White, Norma Harris, and Vivian Brown , followed by Brasil in 48.1 seconds, consisting of Leontina Santos, Erica Lopes da Silva, Edir Braga Ribeiro, and Inês Pimenta.[3]In the same year, he won a bronze medal in the 1963 Summer Universiade for the same sport.[4]

On her second participation in 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games, she won the silver medal again at 46.5 in the same sport with Martinez, Cobian and Isabel Echevarría replacing Borges losing to the team from the Jamaica in 46.2 seconds, consisting of Adlin Mair, Una Morris, Vilma Charlton and Carmen Smith , followed by Barbados in 48.1 seconds, consisting of Aledene Holder, Freida Nicholls, Arlene Babb and Patsy Callender.[5]

Her first Olympics were in the 1968 Summer Olympics, where she won the silver medal at 43.3 seconds in the 4 × 100 meters relay with Marlene Elejarde, Violeta Quesada, and Miguelina Cobián, losing to the team from the United States of America in 42.8 seconds, consisting of Barbara Ferrell, Margaret Bailes, Mildred Netter, and Wyomia Tyus. In the third place, followed by the Soviet Union in 43.3 seconds, consisting of Lyudmila Zharkova • Galina Bukharina, Vera Popkova, and Lyudmila Samotesova.[6]

International competitions

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing  Cuba
1962 Central American and Caribbean Games Kingston, Jamaica 11th (sf) 100 m 12.7
2nd 4 × 100 m relay 47.3
1963 Pan American Games São Paulo, Brazil 5th 100 m 12.01
5th 200 m 25.4
2nd 4 × 100 m relay 46.44
Universiade Porto Alegre, Brazil 6th 100 m 12.6
3rd 4 × 100 m relay 47.5
1966 Central American and Caribbean Games San Juan, Puerto Rico 4th 100 m 12.0
4th 200 m 25.2
2nd 4 × 100 m relay 46.5
1968 Olympic Games Mexico City, Mexico 7th (h) 100 m 11.5
17th (h) 200 m 23.71
2nd 4 × 100 m relay 43.36
1969 Central American and Caribbean Championships Havana, Cuba 2nd 100 m 11.8
1st 4 × 100 m relay 45.9
1970 Central American and Caribbean Games Panama City, Panama 2nd 100 m 11.6 (w)
3rd 200 m 24.3
1st 4 × 100 m relay 44.7
1971 Central American and Caribbean Championships Kingston, Jamaica 1st 100 m 11.6
2nd 200 m 23.70
2nd 4 × 100 m relay 45.01
Pan American Games Cali, Colombia 4th (h) 100 m 11.521
3rd 200 m 23.89
1st 4 × 100 m relay 44.63
1972 Olympic Games Munich, West Germany 3rd 4 × 100 m relay 43.36
1973 Central American and Caribbean Championships Maracaibo, Venezuela 1st 4 × 100 m relay 45.9
1975 Pan American Games Mexico City, Mexico 2nd 4 × 100 m relay 43.65
1976 Olympic Games Montreal, Canada 10th (h) 4 × 100 m relay 44.29

1Did not start in the semifinals

Personal bests

  • 100 metres (hand timing) – 11.2h (1976)
  • 100 metres (electronic timing) – 11.47 A (+1.8 m/s Mexico City 1968)
  • 200 metres (hand timing) – 23.4h (1972)
  • 200 metres (electronic timing) – 23.71 A (0.0 m/s, Mexico City 1968)

References

  1. ↑ "Fulgencia Romay". Olympedia. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
  2. ↑ IX Central American and Caribbean Games Kingston, Jamaica 1962 (PDF). 1972. p. 7.
  3. ↑ IVuegos panamericanos, Sao Paulo 20 DE ABRIL A 5 DE MAIO 1963 (PDF) (in Spanish). 1963. p. 110.
  4. ↑ "Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Summer Universiade". Olympedia. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
  5. ↑ X Central American and Caribbean Games Kingston, San Juan, Puerto Rico (PDF). p. 61.
  6. ↑ "Marlene Elejalde". Olympedia. Retrieved 30 May 2026.