Ariel Standen Levis was a Chilean senior athlete champion. He was the first Chilean senior athlete to win a world senior title.
Career Standen was born on September 12, 1929, in Punta Arenas, the son of Methodist minister Carlos Standen and Nelly Levis. He spent his childhood in Temuco, Coquimbo, La Serena and Iquique. His first steps on athletics started in the local high school of Iquique "Iquique English College", guided by his teacher José Scarzolo in the track and field and jumping. His first competition was in 1947 in Coquimbo. Without a pause, he competed from 1947 to 1962, winning 100 regional and zonal titles. Besides, he won several trophies, diplomas and medals.
In 1953, Standen was nominated to join the national pre-team for the sudamerican Tournament in Brazil. After being accepted, he competed with the champion and record of the world Adhemar Ferreira Da Silva. His career was abruptly stopped in 1962 when he retired from athletics and from the national team due to problems with the federation about.
Triumphs On October 13, 1993, at the age of 64, Standen came back and achieved the senior athletics Championship in Miyazaki, Japan in the 300 meters hurdles. Then he won a bronze medal in the triple jump and 400 meters hurdles. Proud of being the first Chilean senior athlete champion, Standen gave thanks to Jorge Soria's collaboration (mayor of Iquique in that time) and the club "Academia de Educación Física" who afforded his stay in Japan.
Later, in January 1994 he was given "the Cóndor" prize, by Círculo de Periodistas Deportivos de Chile and in 1995 he repeated his world titles in Buffalo, USA, then in 1997 in Durbai, South Africa. He got one of the first places in 100- and 300-meter hurdles and decathlon.
Besides these triumphs, he won 15 South American senior titles in the categories of 55, 60 and 65 years old.
Standen died on August 23, 2026.
International competitions Representing 1954South American ChampionshipsSão Paulo, Brazil9th (h)110 m hurdles15.5 s7thLong jump6.53 m1956South American ChampionshipsSantiago, Chile6th110 m hurdles15.7 s11th (h)400 m hurdles57.3 s1957South American Championships (unofficial)Santiago, Chile6th400 m hurdles58.9 s2ndTriple jump14.60 m1958South American ChampionshipsMontevideo, Uruguay10th (h)110 m hurdles15.9 s4thTriple jump14.51 m1959South American Championships (unofficial)São Paulo, Brazil3rdTriple jump14.66 m1960Ibero-American GamesSantiago, Chile12th (h)110 m hurdles16.2 s5thTriple jump14.92 m1961South American ChampionshipsLima, Peru5th110 m hurdles15.7 s6th400 m hurdles60.3 s
Personal bests Triple jump – 14.92 (1960)Chilean all-time lists
References
External links
Iquique Siglo XX, a las puertas del Nuevo milenio Diario la Estrella de Iquique Special edition, 2000 http://buscador.emol.com/noticias/Ariel+Standen https://web.archive.org/web/20110102033559/http://www.fundacionasciende.com/publicaciones-de-fundacion-asciende/reportajes/157-ariel-standen-campeon-de-decatlon http://www.elmorrocotudo.cl/admin/render/noticia/37