Mamede and Lopes in 1984 at Stockholms Stadion
On July 2, 1984, at Stockholm Stadium.....he and his club mate Carlos Lopes broke the current world record of the 10,000 meters. What could have been a brilliant career for Mamede never materialized due to his bad nerves during international championships. Just a few months later, and in excellent physical shape, he abandoned the race during the 10,000 meters final at the Los Angeles Olympics. In a time when psychological training was non-existent for elite athletes, his extraordinary talent was wasted.
His only medal at international level was a bronze medal at the World Cross Country Championships in Madrid in 1981. Fernando Mamede passed away on January 27, 2026, aged 74.
