Jose Parrilla

Tony Parrilla is an American middle-distance runner born on March 31, 1972, in Ancon, Panama. He specialized in the 800 metres and became known for his powerful finishing kick. His personal best of 1:43.97 was set at the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Parrilla competed at two Olympic Games, qualifying for both the 1992 and 1996 U.S. teams. He finished sixth at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg and also competed at the 1993 World Championships. While running for the University of Tennessee, he won three consecutive NCAA Championships from 1992 to 1994, a feat only accomplished twice before in the 1930s by Charles Hornbostel and John Woodruff.

He adopted Puerto Rican nationality in 2000. His son, also named Tony Parrilla, followed both his parents to run at the University of Tennessee starting in 2016, continuing the family's athletic legacy in middle-distance running.