Birth Name: | Daniel Bertoia |
Birth Date: | 16 April 1969 |
Sport: | Athletics |
Event: | Middle-distance running |
Daniel Bertoia (born April 16, 1969) is a Canadian former athlete who competed in middle-distance running.
Bertoia is the son of 1963 Pan American Games 800 m champion and 1964 Olympian Don Bertoia, who began coaching him in grade eight. He earned NAIA All-American honours while attending Simon Fraser University and set a long-standing Clan record in the 1,500 m of 3:41.5.[1]
Trained at the Kelowna Track and Field Club, Bertoia specialised in 800 m and 1,500 m races. He became Canada's first athletics medalist at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, when he claimed a bronze medal in the 1,500 m, having led the race in the final lap until being passed by José Valente and Bill Burke. His time of 3:43.71 was 11 seconds faster than his father's bronze medal-winning run in the same event at the 1963 Pan American Games.[2]
Bertoia was inducted into the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.[3]