Antonio Vázquez (archer)

Lore & Background

Antonio Vázquez Megido was born in Levinco, a small town in the Aller district of the Asturias Mining Basin. His father worked as a security guard at the La Carinsa open-pit coal mine, and his mother was a teacher. When he was six, his family moved to the city of Oviedo, a relocation he described as like moving to a prison because he loved the rural countryside.

His Olympic career began in 1980, where he finished 29th in the individual competition. Eight years later, at the 1988 Summer Olympics, he placed 32nd in the individual event and was part of the Spanish team that finished 17th. In 1992, he finished 18th in the individual qualification round and was eliminated in the first knockout round, but with the Spanish team he won an astonishing gold medal. His final Olympic appearance was in 1996, where he placed 60th in the individual qualification round and was eliminated in the first knockout stage.

In 1992, Vázquez became the first archer to achieve a perfect 360-point score at 30 meters, setting a world record in Weltsheim, Germany.

Reader's Guide

Antonio Vázquez Megido's significance lies in his longevity across four Olympic Games and his pivotal role in Spain's first Olympic gold medal in archery. His team gold in 1992 marked a high point for Spanish archery, achieved despite his early elimination in the individual event. The world record he set that same year—a perfect 360-point score at 30 meters—underscores his technical precision and remains a milestone in the sport. His career reflects the journey of an archer from a small mining town to Olympic glory, with his family background and early move to Oviedo shaping his perspective. While his individual Olympic results were modest, his team success and world record establish him as a notable figure in Olympic archery history.

Did You Know?

• He was the first archer to achieve a perfect 360-point score at 30 meters, a world record set in Weltsheim, Germany in 1992.
• He described moving from rural Levinco to Oviedo as like moving to a prison.
• He competed in four Olympic Games: 1980, 1988, 1992, and 1996.