Mexico 1968
The first medals in exhibition sports
Pelota Vasca was an exhibition sport at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico. It was the third time that this sport was part of the Olympic programme of the Games after Paris in 1900 and 1920. However, this time it was not part of the official programme and was introduced as an exhibition sport, so the medals obtained were not added to the medal table.
It was played in five of its multiple modalities, the chosen ones being pelota mano, cesta punta, paleta cuero, frontenis and paleta goma.
Pelotaris from Spain, France, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, the United States and the Philippines participated, with the former being the medal winners.
Five pelota players from Navarre were part of this Olympic team and all of them won medals.
Florencio Esquisábel won the gold medal in the Pelota a mano pairs modality . Alberto Ancizu, Fernando Casado and Kiko Caballero won the silver medal in the Pelota Cuero modality and Federico Garraus won the bronze medal in the frontenis competition.
On 11 December 2008, the Government of Navarre paid tribute to the Olympic athletes from Navarre. The photo shows Ancizu, Esquisabel and Garraus with the President of the Government of Navarre, Miguel Sanz, and the Mayoress of Pamplona, Yolanda Barcina.
In the media
- Interview in Diario de Noticias to the Navarrese pelotaris in Mexico 68... Extracted from Diario de Noticias
- Javier Ciaurriz, a C.A. Osasuna player, was selected by José Emilio Santamaría (coach of the national youth team and historic defender of Di Stéfano's Real Madrid) to be part of the Olympic football team. From Cyl to Rio