Andres Franco (1925-2008)
Although he will be in the shadow of our greatest High Jumper. Simeon Toribio. Andres Tan Franco’s tremendous unmatched Asian Games gold medal feat finally earns him the right to the Pinoyathletics Hall of Fame.
He was raised and born in Tondo, Philippines (30 November 1925). The youngest son of Sabina Tan and Agaton Franco. He has four sisters Aurora, Natividad, Indiana, Edeng, and one brother, Alberto. He is of Spanish and Chinese descent.
After the war with Civico, Grando retired. Franco immediately burst onto the scene at age 23. Andres Tan Franco would continue as the most dominant High Jumper in the Philippines for another 6 years from 1948-1954 (Mengoni 1973).
While the highlight of Andres Tan Franco’s career was winning the Gold Medal for the Philippines at the 1951 Asian Games High jump with 1.93m. Furthermore, this feat could have landed Andres Franco second or third if he had participated in the London Olympics in 1948. Also, he won an Asian Bronze medal in the 1954 Asian Games.
Franco also leaped 6.31m in the Long Jump in 1951. A decent Triple Jumper Franco was the best in the Philippines in 1949 and from 1951 to 1953. He recorded 13.40m in the Standing Broad Jump (Triple Jump) (Mengoni 1973).
While In the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Franco finished 31st, only managing 1.87m.
Also, Franco played Basketball. And later became a Basketball Referee/coach. And established a career as a Police Man. A kind man of sound moral principles, Franco refused a bribe from a Chinese shop owner.
Also serving as a technical official in Track and Field.
Franco was named athlete of the decade (1945-1954) by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
During the early years of the Philippine Amateur, the Basketball League approached one sports writer at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum complaining that the PABL officials at the gate of the sports venue wouldn’t let him watch the then-ongoing game where his son Aris was playing.
The journalist approached PABL chairman, Oscar Villadolid who recognized Franco. Villadolid introduced Andres Franco to the staff and then stated that from then on, Franco would be allowed to watch any game he pleases, and a seat at the presidential box was to be reserved for him. Franco then watched numerous games at the Coliseum.
Sometime in his later years, Andres Franco suffered a stroke. He died in early 2008 due to a lingering illness.
*More Information to come this is a work in progress
References:
Alinea, E.G. (Feb 17, 2008), Feature: Remembering Andres Franco, Manila Times retrieved https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CE5aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DCgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=765%2C4790343
Franco, Andres | De La Salle Alumni Association. (1996, January 1). Franco, Andres | De La Salle Alumni Association. https://www.dlsaa.com/honors-and-awards/awardees/franco-andres?fbclid=IwAR3cEuBrf5tfVNkdRbHYLxn2qobAjWAb_pitzkHK1OCxH8ZgMLgwZZeI2Kg
Log into Facebook. (n.d.). Facebook. Retrieved September 3, 2022, from https://www.facebook.com/AndresTanFranco/
Mengoni, L. (1973) World and National Leaders in Track and Field Athletics, 1860–1972. Ascoli Piceno, Italy.
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“In 2020, Andrew advanced to the position of Vice President with the Association of Track and Field Statisticians, having devoted seven years as an active member. His impressive track record includes roles such as a PSC Consultant and Research Assistant (2013-2015) and a distinguished stint as a Sprint Coach and Consultant at the renowned Zamboanga Sports Academy (2015-2017). Today, he offers his expertise as a Consultant Coach with VMUF, starting from 2021.
A recognized voice in the sports community, Andrew is the Chief Editor of Pinoyathletics.info. Additionally, his consultancy contributions to Ayala Corp in evaluating their Track and Field Program underline his deep domain knowledge.
Proficient in coaching sprints, middle-distance races, and jump events, Andrew boasts a Level 3 Athletics Australia Coaching Certification, specializing in Sprints and Hurdles. He is also on a progressive journey towards obtaining a Masters Degree in Education.
For further insights or inquiries, connect with Andrew at pinoyathletics@gmail.com. For detailed coaching resources and Andrew’s methodology, visit Pinoyathletics Coaching.”
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