Carmelo Figueroa Rios passed away peacefully surrounded by his caring family at age 63 on October 21, 2022, at 00.00. He is mourned by his two loving children, Zakarie Kohlbrenner-Rios and Tatiana Kohlbrenner-Rios, and 7 surviving siblings. Carmelo most loved for his warm heart, hilarious sense of humor, his athletic accomplishments, and for being an encouraging presence in the many lives he touched.
He was born in 1959 in Puerto Rico the son of Jose Angel Rios, Sr. and Enelia Figueroa Rios. The family immigrated to New York then relocated to Los Angeles where he graduated from Lennox High School followed by two years at Long Beach City College. Carmelo then attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo from 1980 to 1984 where he studied sociology and was a star on the cross country and track teams. With college personal records of 8:28:89 (steeplechase), 13:57.64 (5000m), and 28:52.04 (10000m), Carmelo set school records in the steeplechase and 10000m. He still holds the steeplechase record. He won three conference titles on the track and one in cross-country. He won two NCAA National titles on the track in the Steeplechase and 5000m and was a three time All American.
Carmelo was inducted into the Cal Poly Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in Track and Field/Cross Country in 2013. Following college, Carmelo competed professionally for the Reebok Aggies Running Club. He qualified for the inaugural IAAF World Championships in Helsinki in 1983 and earned a silver medal in the steeplechase in the 1983 Pan Am Games in Caracas, Venezuela. Rios represented Puerto Rico in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles and was bronze medalist in the 1985 Central America and Caribbean Games in Nassau. He was a four-time Puerto Rico national champion in the steeplechase (1983, 1984, 1986, 1987). Carmelo lowered his 10000m time in 1984 to 28:27.1 while setting the Puerto Rican National Record at the MSAC Relays.
Carmelo lovingly raised his two children, Zakarie Kohlbrenner-Rios and Tatiana Kohlbrenner-Rios with his partner, Bettina Kohlbrenner in the San Francisco Bay Area. He coached high school track, volunteered in the schools and worked for the Santa Clara County Health Department as a community health educator. Carmelo is survived by five brothers, Johnny Rios, Steven Rios, Carlos Rivera, Davis Rios and Dennis Rios and two sisters, Jacqueline Carrasco and Norma Camacho and 2 children. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Community Solutions, 9015 Murray Ave # 100, Gilroy, CA 95020.
