Jim Ryun
United States
Track and Field (800/1500 Meters)
B: April 29, 1947
1968 Olympic Silver Medalist 1500 Meters; World Record Holder - Mile and 1500 Meters.
Ryun entered the 1968 Olympics holding world records at the mile, half mile and 1500 meters. He finished second to Kip Keino at 1500 meters. In 1964, Ryun became the first high school runner to run a mile in under four minutes. He set a national high school record of 3:55.3 that would last until 2001. Ryun won the Sullivan Award as the nation's outstanding amateur athlete in 1966 when he set a world record in the mile while still a teenager. His mile record of 3:51.1 set in 1967 would last until 1976. Ryun returned to the Olympics in 1972, but was struck with bad luck in his opening round heat as he was tripped by Billy Fordjour of Ghana and eliminated. Ryun ranked number one in the world by Track and Field News at the mile/1500 meters in 1966 and '67 and at 800 meters in '66. His other rankings at the mile/1500 meters where 4th in '65; 2nd in '68; 7th in '69; 6th in '71 and 9th in '72. Ryun served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Kansas from 1997 to 2006.
SUPERSTARS RECORD
| EVENT |
PLACE |
POINTS |
MONEY |
EVENT WINS |
| 1974 Preliminary 1 |
9 |
9 |
$1,000 |
None |
| 1977 Preliminary 1 |
8 |
12 |
$1,200 |
None |
| TOTALS |
21 |
$2,200 |
0 |
PERSONAL BESTS
| Bike Race - Mile |
2:39.28 |
1974 Preliminary 1 |
| Points Scored |
12 |
1977 Preliminary 1 |