A runner, an icon, a Tolosano.
Born from a family of farmers in the small town of Tolosa, Leyte, Fortunato Catalon made headlines and conquered and dominated the field of athletics, not just in the country but in the world.
Initially playing baseball in high school, like many of his peers, Catalon was discovered for his extraordinary speed. From baseball, he later switched to track and field.
He etched a name in the 1910s after winning second place in his very first local sprint competition, marking a 10.2 second record. That was just behind the record of 1915 winner Genaro Saavedra.
First Gold
At just 19 years old, Catalon dominated the 100-yard dash and the 200-yard dash at the 1917 Far Eastern Games in Tokyo and brought his first Gold from an international competition.
He was the second man to win the double races after Pio Robillos in 1913.
Catalon further competed and raked medals in the Manila Games, the Shanghai Games and the Far Eastern Competition which earned him the unofficial title of “Asia’s Fastest Man.”
His personal best was recorded to be 9.8 seconds for the 100-yard dash and 22.2 seconds for the 220 yard.
He was considered as one of the most successful track and field athlete in the history of the Far Eastern Games.
Several newspapers featured Fortunato Catalon. American newspapers even dubbed him as a threat to then American track superstar Charlie Paddock who got two gold medals in the Antwerp Olympics.
Unfortunately, he was not able to compete in the 1924 Paris Olympics and was replaced by his alleged rival and fellow Filipino David Neumuceno. No records were found why he was supplanted.
Despite the setback, Catalon dominated the Far Eastern Games until his retirement in 1925 and become a track and field official and coach but is still being referred to as the “greatest Filipino sprinter” until 1927.
Is he the Glico Man?
Around the peak of his fame was the rise of the Dotonbori district’s Glico Man in Osaka, Japan.
Up to this day, it has been speculated by tourists and tour guides that the Tolosano spinter was the model of the said mascot that still stands to this day for more than 80 years.
However, no proof or reference was found to back this claim.
According to Glico’s company website, “the running man” was its 6th generation design and first to use LED technology.
In an information posted in Osaca’s Glico Museum, it says that the first Glico running man’s face looked too scary for students.
Due to this, the founder Ri-Ichi Ezaki collected pegs from smiling runners, including Catalon as an inspiration for the new mascot.
To put the allegations to rest, Catalon was simply one of three athletes used as an inspiration for the Glico man.
Regardless whether it was solely based on him or not, the fact that a Filipino and a Tolosano was part of a composite of the famed mascot is still enough to be proud of.
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