Had an American-born runner ever won a medal at worlds before Centro?

Mary Slaney 1983

1500 and 3000

Ignoramus wrote:

Well malmo, last I checked the OP asked about American born and the last I checked neither Plaatjes nor Lagat were born in the US. So while I respect their citizenship and am a huge Lagat fan, part of your answer is incorrect.

Thank you for the wonderful statement of the obvious. You should go on Jeopardy.

I listed all of the American born runners in bold.

No, the OFFICIAL distance is 42.195 kilometers.

Rbyrne wrote:

Steve Spence Bronze in the 26.2 Miler

nedeau, indoor 1500, 1995

Walter Dix, LaShawn Merritt, Jason Richardson, Allyson Felix, Carmelita Jeter, Lashinda Demus, these are all American-born folks. What's the point of this thread?

Wonders About This Place wrote:

What's the point of this thread?

Assuming the OP meant in just the 1500m.

Either way, the Brojo's need to learn to do a bit of research before they hop on the sensationalism bandwagon. This is taken directly from their recap of the Mens 1500m:

Now a fading Abdalaati Iguider was all that stood between him and America's first 1,500m medal since Jim Spivey's 1987 bronze

Now I'm assuming they meant American-born athlete, but it's still a a huge slap in the face to Lagat who has won 2 medals for the USA one of which was gold. The Brojos themselves and/or whoever proof-reads their stuff before it's posted needs to be able to spot that kind of glaring mistake

Post war medalists in athletics

1948 Olympics

800 1:49.2 1st Mal Whitfeld

1952 Olympics

800 1:49.2 1st Mal Whitfield

3000sc 8:45.4 1st Horace Ashenfelter

1956 Olympics

800 1st Tom Courtney

1964 Olympics

5000 1st Bob Schul. 3rd Bill Dellinger

10000 1st Billy Mills

1968 Olympics

800 1:45.46 3rd Tom Farrell

1500 3:37.89 2nd Jim Ryun

3000sc 8:51.86 3rd George Young

1972 Olympics

800 1:45.86 1st Dave Wottle

Marathon 2:12.19 1st Frank Shorter

1975 World XC

3rd Bill Rodgers

1976 Olympics

800 1:44.12 3rd Rick Wohlhuter

Marathon 2:10:45 2nd Frank Shorter

1977 World Cup

5000 13:13.82 2nd Marty Liquori

3000sc 8:25.2 3rd George Malley

1979 World Cup

800 1:47.69 2nd James Robinson

10000 27:53.07 2nd Craig Virgin

1980 World XC

1st Craig Virgin

1981 World XC

1st Craig Virgin

1982 World XC

2nd Alberto Salazar

1981 World Cup

800 1:46.16 2nd James Robinson

10000 27:40.69 3rd Alberto Salazar

1983 World Champs

1500 3:41.87 Steve Scott 2nd

1984 Olympic Games

800 1:43.64 3rd Earl Jones

3000sc 8:14.06 3rd Brian Diemer

1985 World Cup

5000 14:04.11 1st Doug Padilla

10000 29:22.96 2nd Pat Porter

3000sc 8:39.55 2nd Henry Marsh

1987 World Champs

1500 3:38.82 3rd Jim Spivey

1991 World Champs

800 1:44.67 3rd Mark Everett

Marathon 2:15:36 3rd Steve Spence

1992 Olympics

800 1:43.70 3rd Johnny Gray

1992 World Cup

5000 3rd 14:02.90 Jim Farmer

1993 World Champs

Marathon 2:13:57 1st Mark Plaatjes

1994 World Cup

800 1:46.02 1st Mark Everett

1997 World Champs

800 1:44.25 3rd Rich Kenah

1998 World Cup

800 1:48.73 2nd Mark Everett

2002 World Cup

800 1:44.03 3rd David Krummenacker

2004 Olympics

Marathon 2nd Meb Keflezighi

2006 World Cup

5000 13:36.83 3rd Matt Tegenkamp

2007 World Champs

1500 3:34.7 1st Bernard Lagat

5000 3:45.87 1st Bernard Lagat

2009 World Champs

1500 3:36.20 3rd Bernard Lagat

5000 13:17.33 2nd Bernard Lagat

2010 World Cup

1500 3:35.70 3rd Leonel Manzano

3000 7:54.75 1st Bernard Lagat

5000 13:58.23 1st Bernard Lagat

2011 World Champs

1500 3:36.08 3rd Matt Centrowitz

5000 13:23.36 2nd Bernard Lagat

It has to be said wrote:

I can't seem to think of anyone.

You must be under 30.

Marianne Dickerson - Marathon silver '83

For those of you who inexplicably still don't get it, the OP is being sarcastic. With people making such a huge deal about Centro's third place finish, he's simply pointing out that lots of Americans have won lots of medals and this particular occurrence isn't as out of the ordinary as it is made out to be here.

scotth wrote:

It has to be said wrote:

I can't seem to think of anyone.

You must be under 30.

Marianne Dickerson - Marathon silver '83

Well done

Interesting to note that Mal Whitfield won two gold medals in identical time. 1:49.2

Jenny Simpson did it about a day before Centro. Zing!

yeah brosky wrote:

For those of you who inexplicably still don't get it, the OP is being sarcastic. With people making such a huge deal about Centro's third place finish, he's simply pointing out that lots of Americans have won lots of medals and this particular occurrence isn't as out of the ordinary as it is made out to be here.

Lots of Americans and lots of medals???? What?

That list is short, very short and it includes the World Cup! When it comes to distance running we suck compared to the sprints, relays, 110H and LJ which we have tons of medals.

All world champs results can be found here:

http://www.iaaf.org/history/index.html#

Missed this one:

1991: Tokyo

3 1 Everett Mark USA 1:44.67

F U C K I N MEDALS BEFORE 2011 WERE 100% DIRTY. THEY HAD NO BLOOD TESTS.

El Blacno wrote:

Did you not see the men's 1500 of the Decathlon. I'd call Ashton Eaton a runner.

Did you see the 1500 of the Decathlon, Eaton wasn't the fastest.

The last American born 1500 metal winners.

Steve Scott

Born: May 5, 1956 - Upland, California

Events

1,500 m - 3:31.76

1 mi. - 3:47.69

2,000 m - 4:54.71

3,000 m - 7:36.69

5,000 m - 13:30.39

Jim Spivey

Born: 07/03/1960 SCHILLER PARK, Illinois

3:31.01 Koblenz 28/08/1988

One Mile 3:49.80 Oslo 05/07/1986

2000 Metres 4:52.44 Lausanne 15/09/1987

3000 Metres 7:37.04 Köln 01/08/1993

5000 Metres 13:15.86

You left out Bob McMillen, silver medal in 1500m in 1952 (over Roger Bannister among others). Born in LA I believe. Oh, but the OP was being "ironical." Yeah, yeah. Still have to not let Bob get slighted.________________________________

Malmo listed these distance running medals:

1983

1500 Steve Scott 2nd

1985

1500 Jim Spivey 3rd

1991

Marathon Steve Spence 3rd

You notice that 1991 was the last time an American-born runner won a distance medal? (It's debatable if 800m is "distance" so Rich Kenah is not considered although he is an exceptional athlete nonetheless). This also coincides to the rise of the East Africans in large numbers.

So which American has medaled in distance races at championship races during the East-african Era? We'll say 1991/92 was the start of the era.

Prior to Jenny/Centro, ZERO.