Josephine de la Viña was a discus thrower who is considered one of the greatest Filipino athletes in the said event. She competed at the 1964, 1968 and 1972 Olympics and won gold medals in her pet event at the 1966 Asian Games and 1973 Asian Athletics Championships. Dela Viña competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics where she placed 18th among 21 starters. At the 1968 Summer Olympics, the hefty Cebuana registered 46.56m to place 15th out of 16 entries. She was the only Asian competitor in the field. She made her third Olympic appearance at the 1972 Summer Olympics where she barely missed making the final round, with a best effort of 53.92m to place 13th overall.
Dela Viña's personal best throw of 54.71m, which she set during the 1971 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Bakersfield, remains a national record. She also holds the second-bestmark of 53.92m, which she achieved during the qualification round of the 1972 Summer Olympics. She is the only Filipina discus thrower in history to breach the 50m mark and her record is expected to last for many more decades. Dela Viña also held the national shotput record from 1970 to 1975. In 2018, Dela Viña was posthumously inducted into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame.
Dela Viña's personal best throw of 54.71m, which she set during the 1971 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Bakersfield, remains a national record. She also holds the second-bestmark of 53.92m, which she achieved during the qualification round of the 1972 Summer Olympics. She is the only Filipina discus thrower in history to breach the 50m mark and her record is expected to last for many more decades. Dela Viña also held the national shotput record from 1970 to 1975. In 2018, Dela Viña was posthumously inducted into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame.
GAMES
1964 Summer Olympics, Tokyo
1968 Summer Olympics, Mexico
1972 Summer Olympics, Munich
1968 Summer Olympics, Mexico
1972 Summer Olympics, Munich