Club Gimnasia y Esgrima de Comodoro Rivadaiva | |||
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Leagues |
Liga Nacional de Básquet Liga Sudamericana |
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Founded | 13 February 1919 | ||
Arena |
Estadio Socios Fundadores (capacity: 2,276) |
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Location | Comodoro Rivadavia, Chubut Province, Argentina | ||
President | Juan Pablo Luque | ||
Head coach | Gonzalo García | ||
Championships | 1 Liga Nacional de Básquet | ||
Website | gimnasiacomodoro.com.ar | ||
Uniforms | |||
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Club Gimnasia y Esgrima de Comodoro Rivadavia is an Argentine basketball and team handball club based in the city of Comodoro Rivadavia in Chubut Province. The basketball team currently plays in the Liga Nacional de Básquet, the top level of the Argentine league system. Its home arena is the Estadio Socios Fundadores.
A group of inhabitants of Comodoro Rivadavia (most of them with Spanish ancestors) established Club Gimnasia y Esgrima on February 13, 1919. Eloy Cánovas was elected president of the club although the club was registered 20 years later. At the beginning, Gimnasia was a social club rather a sports institution. Gimnasia was first based on España street, moving then to San Martín street of the same city.
Gimnasia y Esgrima organized the traditional "Maratón de los Barrios" (Marathon of the neighborhoods) for the first time in 1942. This competition was one of the most notable running events in Comodoro Rivadavia. The club was also a tennis pioneer in the city, apart from many sports activities hosted by the club, such as athletics, football, rugby union, fencing, roller hockey, martial arts, chess, roller coaster and volleyball.
The club inaugurated its headquarters on San Martín street in 1953, being erected for over 50 years. Due to serious economic problems, Gimnasia had to sell the building in 1994, causing that all the sports departments of the club (with the exception of basketball) were closed.
Basketball began to be practised at Gimnasia in 1930. The club won its first Chubut Basketball Federation championship in 1941. The club later registered to Liga Nacional de Básquetbol where it still competes. In 1985 Gimnasia y Esgrima inaugurated its own stadium, named "Socios Fundadores" (Founding Members). Four years later Gimnasia won the second division title, therefore promoting to the top level, just two weeks before the end of the championship.