Bob Schul was a renowned long-distance runner who was the U.S.’ only ever 5,000m Olympic champion, winning the gold in 1964.
- Died: June 16, 2024 (Who else died on June 16?)
- Details of death: Died in Middletown, Ohio at the age of 86.
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Bob Schul’s legacy
Bob Schul may not have seemed like an ideal candidate for running races as a child in West Milton, Ohio. He had asthma, which initially impacted his ability to run. But Schul learned to stay in the back of the pack and slowly work towards the front, and by the time he was at Miami University in Ohio, he was breaking school records.
Schul joined the U.S. Air Force, where he kept running, competing in the USA championships in 1960. By 1963, he was the US indoor champion, and he ran the third fastest indoor two-mile time ever. He returned to Miami University that year to finish his education – Schul graduated in 1966 – and in 1964 began to set a string of national and world records, including the fastest three-mile time by an American runner.
He went to the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo as the top-ranked long-distance runner. Competing against former record holder Michel Jazy of France, Schul relied on his tried-and-true training: he trailed for most of the 5,000-meter race but passed Jazy in the last 50 meters to take the gold. It was and remains the only time an American has won a gold medal in the event.
Schul did not keep his prize for long. While he was living in Malaysia in 1971, his house in California was robbed by a renter, and it was stolen.
Though injuries hampered the rest of his career, Schul still won the USA Championships in 1965 and set another American record for the three-mile race. He ran in the 1968 Olympic trials at South Lake Tahoe, managing to take fifth place despite battling injuries, including an asthma attack that took place during the race. After retiring as a runner, Schul trained and coached other runners, including spending a decade with Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
Tributes to Bob Schul
Full obituary: Runners World
