1968 Olympic Trial 5000m

do you mean the Final Olympic Trials in September '68 in South Lake Tahoe? If so:

1 Bob Day 14:37.4

2 Jack Bacheler 14:37.4

3 Lou Scott 14:53.2

4 Gerry Lindgren 14:53.6

5 Steve Stageberg 15:33.0

6 Bob Schul 15.44.6 (asthma attack during race)

7 John Kennedy DNF

Billy Mills was denied permission to run the 5k after developing stomach cramps and not qualifying in the 10K. He ran a 14:32 time trial the day of the Q heats for the 5k (run two days prior to the finals), paced by Ron Clarke.

Finals were run in a wind of 30 mph, which "almost knocked Lindgren down" (T&FN). Also, of course, at 7350 feet altitude.

Interesting statistics. Steve Stageberg finished almost a minute behind the winner. And in the Pan American Games in 1971, Stageberg finished eight seconds behind Prefontaine. A few weeks earlier, he had finished about two seconds behind Pre at the AAU championships three mile and pushed him hard over the last two laps. I don\'t think Stageberg handled altitude as well as his talent would indicate. The altitude in Cali is 3,179 feet.

That's incorrect.

The altitude of South Lake Tahoe is 6,224 feet. Painful to run at this altitude if you are not accustomed to it.

wasnt in SLT......but at Echo Summitt.......on top of the hill before the descent into the tahoe basin

Thanks for the info. I am trying to verify a claim by Chuck Shriner that he ran in the '68 Olympic Trial 5000m. He says he was a 13.57 guy in his day. Now he's a burnt out, chain-smoking pundit commentating on a variety of sports for ESPN, including pool.

I'd say things aren't looking too good for Mr. Shriner right now. There was a preliminary Olympic Trials meet in LA in June, but the field was similarly small, and the names recognizable. I'll take a look at those results tonight, and the world list for '68 for 5k, I would think at 13:57 would make it, or at least be in results from that era.

No... not in the LA race, or the AAU's, NCAA's... or on the US additions to the '68 world list in the 3 mile (goes to 13:58... some guy named Frank Shorter) or 5k (14:23).

Living in the Past wrote:The altitude in Cali is 3,179 feet.

???

The altitude at Echo Summit in California is over 7000 feet.

Amazing to see Billy Mills ran faster than everyone the same day in the Trials race. Stupid officials.

He's referring to the site of the '71 Pan Am Games, which were held in Cali, Colombia... re: Stageberg's adaptation to running at altitude.

Thanks for chasing this up! Chuck actually said the trials were in Colorado Springs, on a track with a tree in the middle!

Actually, he's partially correct... the track at the Trials at Echo Summit/SLT was constructed with stands of trees in the "infield", pretty unusual but kind of attractive... see II July issue of T&FN cover

http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/archive/past_issues/1968covers.html

I'm sure if he were legit, he'd be able to produce plenty of evidence of his performances, 13:57 or equivalent at other distances would not have gone undocumented.

Didn't know that Bob Day won the trials. We share our high school alma mater. Wonder if our school records go back that far?

stillrunning wrote:

do you mean the Final Olympic Trials in September '68 in South Lake Tahoe? If so:

1 Bob Day 14:37.4

............. wrote:

Didn't know that Bob Day won the trials. We share our high school alma mater. Wonder if our school records go back that far?

stillrunning wrote:

do you mean the Final Olympic Trials in September '68 in South Lake Tahoe? If so:

1 Bob Day 14:37.4

Is that the Bob Day from Orange(CA) High School?

yesstiles wrote:

Is that the Bob Day from Orange(CA) High School?

Yes, the one who coaches in Orange County.