RIP Miruts Yifter: Ethiopia's 1st-ever track gold medallist has died

So he won bronze at the 1972 Olympic 10k, and I heard that he was late to the 5k race and therefore missed there and was jailed for it. Then nothing in 1976, but 5k/10k double win in 1980.

What happened in the 1976 Olympics? No doubt he would've won both the 5k & 10k if if he had competed.

Wat hapnd at z 1976 Olympics?/ wrote:

So he won bronze at the 1972 Olympic 10k, and I heard that he was late to the 5k race and therefore missed there and was jailed for it. Then nothing in 1976, but 5k/10k double win in 1980.

What happened in the 1976 Olympics? No doubt he would've won both the 5k & 10k if if he had competed.

You mean, apart from the African boycott?

Can you imagine how Yifter would have been discussed here if the Internet and this message board existed.

This man was dominant.

sad news. RIP

My condolences to the family friends of one of the greatest runners.

I wouldn't call Yifter's win, destroying it was Virgin who tried what

he can do to shake Miruts. Even in the end we know Virgin was in awe.

What can you do when you race a man who comes once every two

hundred years?

RIP

That last 300 in Moscow ... favorite race clip ever.

Miruts Yifter is the main reason why most distance races in the Olympics are sit and kick. This man trained this way his entire life to be able to do what he did. His race strategy was pure genius.

If you watch the 1979 race where he beat Craig Virgin, Yifter takes off like an NFLer running the 40 yard dash. He had an incredible gear to use. However after about 50 yards he slowed considerably.

He had talent, but he was also very smart! He changed our sport, although now someone will have to change it again. The overall best runners do not necessarily win anymore. Someone will step up and change that.

I think you made a good point there....and at least on the women's side, Almaz Ayana has started it, wouldn't you say?

Yifter would obliterate Mo Farah

On a Summer Night wrote:

You are thinking of 1977 World Cup where Gifted beat Liquorice in the 5K final. I don't think Yifter ever raced Ovett.

It was in 1977 and mentioned in the Ovett autobiography.

Yifter is one of the all time greats and could have won even more given greater opportunit

What a difference between LetsRun and Trackie.ca

Here, the owners have dedicated their entire landing page to the legendary Ethiopian Olympic Champion.

On trackie.ca? Well, the All White Male Distance Runner Fraternity (AWMDRF) does not give two sh*ts. But if one of their mediocre road runners died, they would lower the Canadian flag to half staff.

Ironically, Miruts Yifter lived in Canada for the last several years of his life. Yet still nobody up there cares.

Such is the difference between the U.S. and Cana-duh.

Yifter the Shifter? More like Yifter the Grifter. He conned me out of twenty bucks once in a game of three card monty.

yev det wrote:

Yifter the Shifter? More like Yifter the Grifter. He conned me out of twenty bucks once in a game of three card monty.

Jay-Z is that you?

TrackBot! Compare Miruts Yifter vs Steve Ovett

No head-to-head matchups found between Miruts Yifter and Steve Ovett

I am a bot. Info: habs.sdf.org/trackbot

TrackBot wrote:

No head-to-head matchups found between Miruts Yifter and Steve Ovett

I am a bot. Info: habs.sdf.org/trackbot

fail, at least two.

Yifter was a big inspiration to me when I started running and racing. If only he had been given a chance in 1976 too.

Bad Wigins wrote:

Yifter would obliterate Mo Farah

🤣 ROFL!

Back then runners weren't paid much.