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About The Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame

In the United States, there are Sports Halls of Fame that honor professional and amateur athletes in football, basketball, track, tennis, baseball and other sports. There are also ethnic halls of fame that recognize outstanding athletes from different groups including Italian, Jewish, Irish and blacks to name a few. But, there was not a single sports hall of fame that would recognize, honor and salute the outstanding accomplishments/achievements and contributions of our Latino/Hispanic Sports Heritage not only from the United States but also those who came to this country from Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Central and South America and from the vast talent from the Caribbean Islands. The Latin-American International Sports Hall of Fame/Salon de Ia Fama Latinoamericano del Deporte was organized in Laredo, Texas in 1974. At first it was to celebrate, honor and promote local and regional individuals who had excelled at their particular sport but soon it opened the doors to include National and International Professional Athletes. It also recognizes as Sportsman of the Year individuals who continue to preserve and enhance our Latino culture, values and educational opportunities for our youth and who contribute to the betterment of the City of Laredo and South Texas. There have been since its inception an equal recognition of women athletes inductees. It was important to find role models for our youth and the organizers wanted to include all ages, regardless of sex in their programs. The Latin Hall was also created to promote economic development and stimulate business activity in downtown Laredo when local businesses are contracted to provide services to our inductees, their families and guests who visit Laredo during the annual 3-day welcome reception, media luncheon and induction banquet celebration weekend. Through the years. (1975-2014), and with limited amount of funds the organization has, had the opportunity to help the youth of our community with scholarships and other youth activity fundraisers. Plans are to have a Latin Sports International Hall of Fame Museum (downtown) (soon) which will be a first for the United States and to provide clinics (free of charge) to instruct our youth in different sports.

Mission

The Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1975 to recognize individuals with good and proper standing in the community, high morals and values and who have excelled in sports and/or have contributed to the promotion of sports and goodwill in the Latino community.


Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame

47th Annual Induction Banquet

 

 

 

Cody Colchado
Powerlifting
 

Cody Colchado

POWERLIFTING

Cody Colchado Jr. is 55 years old. He was born in Kingsville, Texas and was raised in Bakersfield, California. He currently lives in Linn/San Manuel, Texas.  Colchado is a motivational speaker and fitness consultant with a bachelors and masters in kinesiology from the University of Texas at Pan American. He was born with a 75% -85% hearing loss. It wasn’t until 2nd grade that it was diagnosed.  He learned to deal with this loss by reading lips. He didn’t want to wear hearing aids because he believed he was laughed at by classmates and that technology during the early 70’s was horrible. Sports helped him deal with all the frustration of not being able to hear. 

In 1981 at the age of 17, during a high school football practice, he had a freak football accident which caused vision loss. He was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa Usher Syndrome, type 2, a condition which is characterized by deafness, night blindness and the loss of peripheral vision.  After the accident he only had 5 degrees of vision left. He started power lifting, and loved it. He lifts weights for health as he worked part time at the legendary Jack La Lane Health and Fitness Spa in Bakersfield. “Lifting helped me deal with all the anger and frustration I had in dealing with the loss.” He was introduced to powerlifting at the Strength and Health Barbell Club. 

As he continued lifting, he began to compete. His first competition was in 1983 in Long Beach, California where he placed 3rd in his class.  He later joined the United States Association of Blind Athletes.  He began to compete internationally, and after 10 years, he not only competed, but was the assistant head coach for USABA’s National Team U.S.A for the next 8 years. During this time, he trained at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is currently a 32 time world champion in power lifting for the blind and able bodied in ATA, IBPF, IBSA, and WADAL power lifting federations. He holds 25 world records in the squat, bench press, dead lift total and has 12 best lifter awards in those federations.  He has won 15 Texas state championships and numerous nationals. In 2012, he was inducted into the World Association Benchers and Deadlifters Hall of Fame.

In 2013, during Bakersfield College one hundred years celebration, he was one of One Hundred Golden Knights,  who were honored with this award. In 2016, he was inducted to the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame. He was one of 20 disabled athletes that were featured in a book titled, Running Through Road Blocks. In March of 2018, he was featured in a segment of the Texas Country Reporter. In 2015, he was the first American to win the North American Disabled Strongman Championship that was held in Ohio, and the World’s Strongest Disabled Man, standing division that was held in Iceland.  In 2017, he competed in London, England in the World’s Strongest Disabled Man held with the London Parallel games and placed 6th in the standing division.