Colombian journalist José Víctor de Castro Carroll, known as Chelo de Castro, died in Barranquilla at the age of 102. He was the oldest journalist in the world.
The Colombian journalist José Victor de Castro Carrollknown as Chelo de Castro and who was the longest-serving sports journalist in the world, passed away at the age of 102 in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla, his relatives reported Monday.
The information was confirmed on social media by his son, songwriter and music producer Chelito de Castro, who wrote on his Twitter account: “Fly high daddy! I can only say thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Chelo de Castro, who until a few months ago continued to publish a daily column in the newspaper The herald, from Barranquilla, He was awarded in 2017 by the Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive (AIPS) for his 72 uninterrupted years of practice in sports journalism.
Colombian journalist José Víctor de Castro Carroll worked as a journalist for 72 years without interruption.
Since 1945 Chelo de Castro has been writing her daily column in several newspapers of Barranquilla. It was born on the weekly La Unidad; in 1950 he entered the newspaper La Prensa; in 1960 he moved to the evening newspaper El Nacional; in 1968 he worked on the Diario del Caribe and from 1976 to 2020 in El Heraldo.
When he was awarded by the IPS, it was pointed out that as a journalist Chelo de Castro followed the 5th edition of Central American and Caribbean gameswhich took place in Barranquilla in 1946, and also the XXIII, which hosted this city in 2018.
Chelo did not study journalism at university and due to a family calamity he did not even finish high school (he studied at the Colegio Barranquilla), but his vast knowledge of sport (he read newspapers since he was 7 years old), his personality and his innate talent, led him to success.
Chelo de Castro died on Monday June 20 in Barranquilla, Colombia at the age of 102.
in his hometown is remembered for promoting civic campaigns and thanks to his efforts, the Metropolitan Stadium in Barranquilla bears the name of footballer and coach Roberto Meléndez, who was the first Colombian player to be transferred to international football.
Other sports facilities in Barranquilla that they are called as the glories of sport of the city thanks to De Castro are the “Elías Chegwin” basketball arena, the “Rafael Vásquez” velodrome, the “Humberto Perea” indoor arena and the “Romelio Martínez” football stadium.
De Castro was married Judith Vasquez. The couple had seven children. EFE
Source: Clarin
