Edgar Baumann
Baumann competing at the 1995 Pan American Games | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Edgar Andres Baumann Duran |
| Nationality | Paraguayan |
| Born | 16 April 1970 (age 55) San Lorenzo, Paraguay |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | Javelin Throw |
| College team | Texas State University |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best | 84.70m |
Medal record | |
Edgar Andres Baumann Dure (born 16 April 1970 in San Lorenzo) is a former Paraguayan javelin thrower, current javelin coach, sports promoter, and businessperson. He is of German descent.
Baumann won a silver medal at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina, achieving the South American record at the time with a throw of 78.70 metres, surpassing Colombia's thrower Luis Lucumi's throw of 77.80m which was held since 1989. He held the record four times, overtaking temporary record holder and compatriot Nery Kennedy's throw of 81.28m metres in 1998 and extending it to 84.70 metres in Texas, United States of America on 17 October 1999. Baumann was the first South American javelin thrower to throw over 80 metres.
He qualified for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, although he did not compete. He competed at the Olympic Games for the first time in Atlanta in 1996, reaching a maximum distance of 77.74 metres. His extension to the South American record of 84.70 metres qualified him for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, however, during a scandal which involved the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, Baumann was replaced by Nery Kennedy without any justification, and did not participate.
It took Baumann 9 years to sue the Olympic Committee after establishing a lawsuit against them in 2000. He received support from Paraguayan football figure José Luís Chilavert in the process, who condemned corruption in Paraguayan sport, culminating with the Paraguayan Supreme Court ruling in favor of the javelin thrower who was awarded a minimum of US$1 million.