Nelly Chávez

Nelly Chávez de Wright came to the United States in 1971 to complete her education and earn a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Spanish Literature. She started running in 1977 when she was 31 years old and enrolled in a jogging class at college in Buffalo, New York where she eventually studied. Chávez de Wright moved to Monterey, California in 1979 to attend the Monterey Institute of International Studies and began competing in long distance races. She won several local marathons and ran her Personal Best of 2:48:32 in 1983 at the California International Marathon in Sacramento.

Chávez de Wright’s marathon time was under the qualifying time for the United States Olympic Trials for the first women’s marathon to be held at the 1984 Olympics. As she was a citizen of Bolivia at that time, however, and unable to compete in the United States Olympic Trials, she did compete for Bolivia at Los Angeles. She finished with a time of 2:51:35, and became Bolivia’s first women Olympic athlete.

In 1985 Chávez de Wright competed for Bolivia in both the World Cup Marathon in Hiroshima, Japan and the women’s marathon at the 1987 Pan-American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she finished sixth. She won the 1988 Big Sur Marathon, setting the women’s course record in a time of 2:55. She was 42 years old at the time and receiving her award from Frank Shorter, who was also a Master’s runner, was particularly enjoyable.

Chávez de Wright’s last marathon, her 22nd, was the 1993 Big Sur. She was the USATF National Age Group (60-64) 10K champion in 2006. She became a United States citizen in 1994 and taught Spanish as a second language at several schools in Monterey County before retiring. She later became a volunteer guide and assistant instructor at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Personal Best: Mar – 2-48:32 (1983).