Before 2012, when was the last time 2 American distance medallists raced each other on the track?

TrackBot! Shalane Flanagan vs. Deena Kastor

throwing out a guess wrote:

TrackBot! Shalane Flanagan vs. Deena Kastor

Never mind that. I see you said on the track, which is probably not the case here.

Ryun v. Wottle, pro indoor circuit after Munich. Unless you count copper medalist Prefontaine v. Shorter in 1975 lol.

Macroaggressor wrote:

Ryun v. Wottle, pro indoor circuit after Munich. Unless you count copper medalist Prefontaine v. Shorter in 1975 lol.

I was thinking it had to be sometime in the 1970s, and Ryun vs. Wottle would make sense. Does anyone know a specific race?

Jonathan Gault wrote:

Macroaggressor wrote:

Ryun v. Wottle, pro indoor circuit after Munich. Unless you count copper medalist Prefontaine v. Shorter in 1975 lol.

I was thinking it had to be sometime in the 1970s, and Ryun vs. Wottle would make sense. Does anyone know a specific race?

Found this old NYT article from 1974, which discusses an ITA meet where Wottle and Ryun both got beaten in the mile by Jipcho. Both Ryun and Wottle were a part of the ITA pro circuit for 1974, so if you can find more results from that circuit, you'll be in business.

I saw them race a mile in Seattle in 1974. Jeff Galloway was in the two mile with Lindgren and Francie Larrieu set an indoor world best for the mile.

Jenny Simpson (gold, World's 2011, silver, World's 2013, bronze, Olympics 2016) has raced Shannon Rowbury (bronze? World's 2009) many times, even after both had medaled.

Rowbury:

12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics 3 4:04.18 Berlin (Olympiastadion) 23 AUG 2009

Simpson:

The XXXI Olympic Games 3 4:10.53 Rio de Janeiro (Estádio Olímpico) 16 AUG 2016

14th IAAF World Championships 2 4:02.99 Moskva (Luzhniki) 15 AUG 2013

The XXX Olympic Games 12sf2 4:06.89 London (Olympic Stadium) 08 AUG 2012

13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics 1 4:05.40 Daegu (DS) 01 SEP 2011

Trackbot! Jennifer Simpson v. Shannon Rowbury

Centro and Manzano are other examples of American medalists competing against each other. Centro first medaled at World's in 2011 and Manzano in the Olympics in 2012. Prior to 2011 (first time that Simpson and Rowbury might have competed as medalists), in the 800m, Johnny Gray medaled in 1992, Earl Jones in 1984, so Gray surely faced the World medalists Mark Everett (1991 medalist) and Rich Kenah (1997 medalist).

In the 1500m, no men's medalists in the Olympics between 1968 and 2012, nor in the 5000m until 2016 and the 10000m from 1964 until 2012.

Steve Scott was the only American 1500m world medalist (silver, 1983) until Lagat in 2007. Lagat's first competition with Centro after World's in 2011 would count then and all his competitions against Rupp after 2012 Olympics.

Trackbot! Johnny Gray vs. Steve Scott

Trackbot! Earl Jones vs. Steve Scott

Trackbot! Bernard Lagat vs. Matt Centrowitz

Trackbot! Bernard Lagat vs. Galen Rupp

Trackbot! Shannon Rowbury vs. Jenny Simpson

Trackbot! Rich Kenah vs. Johnny Gray

Trackbot! Johnny Gray vs. Mark Everett

Trackbot! Rich Kenah vs. Mark Everett

Right, but I'm looking for OLYMPIC medallists

When Jenny Simpson miscounted laps in that indoor race in Boston two years ago, the eventual winner was.... Sally Kipyego.

Does it have to be on the track? If not, Meb v. Rupp at the last Olympic Marathon Trials.

Interesting question as between the 1988 and 2008 Olympics (aka the dark ages) there weren't many runners with medals at any given point in time still racing that were able to compete head to head against one another in overlapping distances Here is the list of medals won by Americans at the Olympics and WC 1500m-Marathon between that period.

1991- Steve Spence (marathon bronze)

1992 - Lynn Jennings (10k bronze)

1993 - Mark Plaatjes (Marathon gold)

1997 - Regina Jacobs (1500m silver) DOPER

1999 - Regina Jacobs (1500m silver) DOPER

2004 - Meb (marathon silver), Denna Kastor (marathon, bronze)

2007 - Lagat (1500m/5000m gold), Kara Goucher (10k bronze, should be upgraded to silver)

2008 - Shalane Flanagan (10k silver)

So it looks like the only chances were real Spence v. Plaatjes and Goucher v. Flanagan.

Only four Olympic medals (none gold) in 20 years. The good 'ol EPO era.

LetsRun.com wrote:

Steve Scott was the only American 1500m world medalist (silver, 1983) until Lagat in 2007.

Spivey won Bronze in '87. I would assume the Spivey and Scott faced off in some races after that.

You should amend your article to say MALE American medalists. Jenny Simpson (World gold) and Shannon Rowbury (World bronze) have raced each other numerous times.

Les wrote:

You should amend your article to say MALE American medalists. Jenny Simpson (World gold) and Shannon Rowbury (World bronze) have raced each other numerous times.

You should amend your comment considering they asked for OLYMPIC medalists.