Manuel Rivera Morales (aka "Manolo", "El Olimpico", "Mr. Apuntenlo") (May 14, 1923 – May 25, 2000)[1] (in Spanish) was a Puerto Rican sportscaster, radio announcer and marketing sales executive.
"The achievements of 'El Olimpico' (The Olympian) have given him national and international regard and have left huge prints in our hearts."
In 1998 the Government of Puerto Rico honored Rivera by naming a main highway after him: PR-181 Road, "Expreso Manuel Rivera Morales", also known as "El Expreso de Trujillo Alto" (Trujillo Alto Expressway).
Manuel Rivera Morales gained nationwide fame in Puerto Rico during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, when he covered BSN basketball games live, first on radio, and later on television, for various broadcasters (most famously WAPA-TV), along other famous Puerto Rican sportscasters such as Johnny Flores Monge, Rafael Bracero and Fufi Santori.
Due to this vast Olympic experience, he was nicknamed "El Olimpico" (The Olympian).
He also was a narrator for the Pan-American Games and for the famous "Roller Derby" television show (Puerto Rico's Spanish version).
Morales was also recognized for giving nicknames to some of Puerto Rico's basketball players.
He also announced horse racing events from Hipódromo Camarero along with Norman H. Davila, among others.
[2] In 2020, 21 years after Rivera Morales death and during the 2020 Summer Olympics, his voice was heard commenting when the Puerto Rico women's national basketball team played.
- His trademark phrase, and a reminder to the radio crew's scorer to write down the latest successful two-point basket.
A religious imploration used by him in a playfull tone when a basketball game was close enough for the visiting team to steal a win during the closing minutes, he also used this phrase when the visiting team's lead was deemed as too large to overcome with a short time left in the game.