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MANAGUA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Nicaraguan runner Erick Rodriguez finished 37th out of 43 runners in the 1,500m qualifying round at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Tuesday.
What makes Rodriguez stand out from the pack, however, is that he even got to the Olympic Games while dedicating much of his time to his small farm in northern Nicaragua.
The Nicaraguan Olympic Committee (NOC) highlighted in a statement that Rodriguez' background is unique, given his nature as a farmer in the province of Jinotega, 143km north of the capital Managua.
For Rodriguez, his twin realities could not be different. As one of just five Nicaraguan athletes in Rio, he has served his country well, winning a silver medal in the 1,500m at the Central American Championships in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, but won gold in the 3,000m in 2016.
In a statement sent to Xinhua through the NOC, Rodriguez explained that his mother's apple farm in Jinotega is just big enough for the family's daily needs and to provide a small income.
"I currently live in Jinotega but I use my spare time to train," he said, adding that he also looks after his wife and three-year-old daughter.
However, Rodriguez says that agriculture and athletics are his twin passions. On August 27, 2015 at the Athletics World Championships in Beijing, Rodriguez broke the Nicaraguan record for the 1,500m, finishing with 3:53.25, beating the 3:53.25 set in 1989 by runner Roger Miranda.
Nicaragua's delegation to Rio, besides Rodriguez, holds two swimmers, a shooter and a weightlifter.
The country has participated in 11 Olympic Games, starting with the Mexico City Olympics in 1968, but has never won any medal.
