Gerry Lindgren - No movie or documentary?

The problem with Lindgren aside from his personal failings, is he was a superstar only in high school. He had either used up his potential or trained himself into oblivion by the time he went to WSU. Never even made an Olympic team past high school. So really, the story of Gerry Lindgren is one of a child prodigy who failed to live up to expectations on and off the track -- not the most appealing storyline.

FYI, I believe Lindgren won every NCAA championship he was in, CC and track, except one, which he lost to Ryun (indoor 2M). Plus he tied the 6M WR as a frosh. So, not too shabby post-HS career.

He wasted his extraordinary talent by grossly overtraining and although I've never met him, he appeared to be a pretty bizarre person. Not a good story.

Les wrote:

The problem with Lindgren aside from his personal failings, is he was a superstar only in high school. He had either used up his potential or trained himself into oblivion by the time he went to WSU. Never even made an Olympic team past high school. So really, the story of Gerry Lindgren is one of a child prodigy who failed to live up to expectations on and off the track -- not the most appealing storyline.

He lived up to every performance expectation after high school with ONE exception... winning a medal at the Olympic games. He did make the Olympic team with Mills, finishing 9th with a sprained ankle.

Your comments highlight a big part of the problem... very few people, apparently you're one of them, know the facts about Gerry Lindgren's accomplishments in and beyond high school.

High School

1500 meters – 3:44.6 (1964)

1-mile (1.6 km) – 4:01.5 (1964) (2nd fastest in history in 1964; #8 all time among American high schoolers as of 2011)

3000 meters – 8:06.3i (1964) High School Record (4th best of all time as of 2011)

2-mile (3.2 km) – 8:40.0i (1964) High School Record (now 2nd all-time indoors)

3 miles (4.8 km) – 13:17.0 (1964) (High School Record)

5000 meters – 13:44.0 (1964) High School Record (2nd All-time American High School time as of 2011)

10000 meters – 29:17.6 (1964) High School Record (5th best all time as of 2011)

You're claim that he was a superstar ONLY in high school is merely an opinion... the numbers say otherwise.

This is why I requested an objective argument.

Post High School...

NCAA

3 miles (4.8 km) – 12:53.0 (1966) Collegiate and American Record

6 miles (9.7 km) – 27:11.6 (1965) Collegiate and World Record

3000 meters – 7:58 (1965) Collegiate and American Record

5000 meters – 13:33.8 (1968) Collegiate and American Record

10000 meters – 28:40.2 (1967) Collegiate and American Record

NCAA Championships

(11 total NCAA Championships)

Cross Country – 1966 (29:01.4), 1967 (30:45.6), 1969 (28:59.2)

3 miles (4.8 km) outdoor track – 1966 (13:33.7), 1967 (13:47.8)

5000 m – 1968 (13:47.2)

6-mile (9.7 km) outdoor track – 1966 (28:07.0), 1967 (28:44.0)

10000 m – 1968 (29:41.0)

2 miles (3.2 km) indoor track – 1966 (8:41.3), 1967 (8:34.7)

Making a movie about a former NCAA star. Please...

Why would there be a movie about him when we already have a book about him written by his own shadow?