When people priority sport in the United States, the first three are usually football, basketball and baseball. These sports receive a lot of media attention and celebrity sporting heroes of many children. Sports as distance running do not receive the attention and the heroes are not so well known.
Distance running in the United States have reached a lot of athletes who had legendary dimensions. One such person is Jim Ryun from Kansas. While highSchool, was the first prep Miler to break four minutes in the mile. Also won three state titles maintained miles and set school records for the mile of 3:55.3, which stood for 36 years.
When Jim finished high school, continued to put a record on the track. He held five world records during his career and became the youngest athlete in 1966. Jim Ryun was also a period of three U.S. Olympic in the 1500 meters and won the silver medal at the Olympics in 1968 in Mexico.Jim Ryun was a four-term Congressman from the withdrawal from the sport.
Billy Mills is another entirely in our sport. Billy is an Indian who came from a poor environment and challenged many opportunities for success. He is best known for one of the greatest moments in Olympic history known. At the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, a virtually unknown American athlete in the world by winning Olympic gold in the 10,000 meters race.
With one lap to go Billy Mills was ahad three runners competing for the gold medal when he broke three lanes. Billy kept calm and method of working his way back to the other famous runners. Over the last 100 yards he rushed past, the other two runners to win the gold medal. After his retirement from the sport, Billy Mills became a successful life insurers and is a professional motivational speaker.
Our next sporting hero is Bill Rodgers. Bill Rodgers is the best knownMen's renowned distance runner of all time. Bill was a four-time winner in Boston and New York City Marathon. Track and Field News ranked Rodgers # 1 in the world in the marathon in 1975, 1977 and 1979. Was also a member of the 1976 U.S. Olympic marathon team.
Bill Rodgers has won many awards including Tiffany's has won the man of the Year (1989), New York Runners Club Abebe Biklla Award (1989), and Ct. Sports Writers Alliance Gold Key Award (1994). Rodgers still holds fiveRecord and a world record today. Bill Rodgers is currently the spokesperson for Etonic shoe company and is owned by Bill Rodgers Running Center. Still runs and has attended many conferences.
One of the most popular and greatest running legends of American distance with Steve Prefontaine. Pre was born in Coos Bay, Oregon and went to Marshfield High School. Was undefeated on the track and Cross Country his junior and seniorYear. As a senior at Marshfield he broke the American record for the execution of two kilometers. Its exceptional performance got the attention Bill Bowerman a legendary coach at the University of Oregon.
Steve Prefontaine at the University of Oregon in 1969 and became an instant star. He wanted to Hayward Field, University of capacity which would be filled with fans cheering for him when he entered the stadium. Pre won seven NCAA titles: three in cross country and four in the field. He heldCollegiate eight shots and its 3 miles and miles 6 records still stand. Prefontaine also broke his American documents and other 14 times different.
After college Steve Prefontaine continued to train and was held in 1972 Olympic Games in Monaco of Bavaria, Germany. During that race he was satisfied with the service pack of runners in the first two miles per stay. With one kilometers to go, took the initiative and begin to gather pace. With 600 meters to first was adopted in Finland, the Lassa virus.Prefontaine gave everything he had to live with the virus but did not reach the gold medal and finished fourth.
Steve Prefontaine was the epitome of toughness. His personality and confidence, was a brave performance was attracted by what people say. Steve Prefontaine was in a car accident May 30, 1975 killed. He shocked the long-distance running community throughout the world. He was 24 years old and were carved in the best of his life is running low. Prefontaine to date has an impact onRunners. Many high school and college runners have quotes from Pre on the back of shirts. There is also a track meet named after him every year at Hayward Field Prefontaine Classic.
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