- Marty Liquori
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Medal record Men's Athletics Competitor for the United States Pan American Games Gold 1971 Cali 1500 metres IAAF World Cup Silver 1977 Düsseldorf 5000 metres Martin ("Marty") Liquori (born 11 September 1949) is an American middle distance athlete.
Liquori first rose to fame when he became the third American high schooler to break the four-minute mile by running a 3:59.8 in 1967, three years after Jim Ryun first did it.
He grew up in Cedar Grove, New Jersey and attended Essex Catholic High School.[1] After high school, Liquori enrolled at Villanova University. There he was coached by the legendary Jumbo Elliott.
Liquori made the U.S. Olympic team in 1968 as a nineteen-year-old freshman. He reached the finals of the 1,500 meter run but suffered a stress fracture and finished 12th. He was the youngest person ever to compete in the final.
In 1969, he finished second to Ryun in the NCAA indoor mile then won the NCAA and AAU outdoor mile championships by turning the tables on Ryun and beating him. He repeated the AAU outdoor in 1970 and had his best year in 1971, winning the NCAA and AAU outdoor titles, and a gold medal in the 1,500 m at the Pan-American Games. In 1969 and 1971 he was ranked number 1 in the world for 1500 meters/mile. In 1977 he was ranked number 1 in 5000 meters and set a US record of 13:15.1 while finishing second to Miruts Yifter in the inaugural World Cup.
On May 16, 1971, Liquori lowered his personal best to 3:54.6 in the Dream Mile in Philadelphia and beat Ryun by a few steps.
But Liquori was injured later that year. He didn't return to competition until 1973. In 1975 he ran a personal best 3:52.2 in the mile, finishing second to Filbert Bayi (who broke Ryun's world record in that race by 0.1 second with a 3:51.0), and set a United States record of 8:17.12 in the 2 mile. Liquori retired from competitive distance running in 1980.
He has written an autobiography, On The Run , "Guide to the Elite Runner" and "Home Gym Workout". He was a founder of The Athlete Attic Footwear chain in 1971.
Liquori lives in Gainesville, Florida. He does commentary for NBC at the Olympics and at various track and triathlon events around the country. Liquori was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), which is now in remission. He picked up the guitar after a 35-year hiatus and is currently a professional jazz guitarist and now performs Monday and Thursday nights with various ensembles at Leonardo's 706, a Gainesville restaurant.
References
- ^ Marty Liquori, USA Track & Field. Accessed October 7, 2007.
Audio interview
External links
Awards and achievements Preceded by
Lesley Bush
Larry Echohawk
Kwaku Ohene-Frempong
Bob Lanier
Mike Phipps
Mike ReidSilver Anniversary Awards (NCAA)
Class of 1996
Marty Liquori
Thomas Lewis Lyons
Cliff Meely
Kurt L. Schmoke
Joe Theismann
Jack YoungbloodSucceeded by
Tommy Casanova
Jack Ford
David Joyner
Edward B. Rust Jr.
James Tedisco
Herb WashingtonNational Distance Running Hall of Fame inductees 1998: Joan Benoit · Ted Corbitt · Bill Rodgers · Frank Shorter · Kathrine Switzer | 1999: Johnny Kelley · Nina Kuscsik · Francie Larrieu Smith · Billy Mills | 2000: Clarence DeMar · Steve Prefontaine · Alberto Salazar · Grete Waitz | 2001: Bill Dellinger · Lynn Jennings · Fred Lebow · Craig Virgin | 2002: Bill Bowerman · Doris Brown Heritage · John J. Kelley · Browning Ross | 2003: Mary Decker · Jim Ryun · George Young | 2004: No inductees | 2005: Don Kardong · Greg Meyer · Bob Schul | 2006: Patti Catalano · Gerry Lindgren · Marty Liquori | 2007: No inductees | 2008: Amby Burfoot · Johnny Hayes · Priscilla Welch | 2009: No inductees | 2010: Dick Beardsley · Miki Gorman
Pan American Champions in Men's 1500 m 1951: Browning Ross (USA) • 1955: Juan Miranda (ARG) • 1959: Dyrol Burleson (USA) • 1963: Jim Grelle (USA) • 1967: Tom von Ruden (USA) • 1971: Marty Liquori (USA) • 1975: Tony Waldrop (USA) • 1979: Donald Paige (USA) • 1983: Agberto Guimarães (BRA) • 1987: Joaquim Cruz (BRA) • 1991: José Valente (BRA) • 1995: Joaquim Cruz (BRA) • 1999: Graham Hood (CAN) • 2003 – 2007: Hudson de Souza (BRA) • 2011: Leandro de Oliveira (BRA)
World Best Year Performance in Men's 1500 m 1968: Kipchoge Keino (KEN) · 1969: Marty Liquori (USA) · 1970: Jean Wadoux (FRA) · 1971: Marty Liquori (USA) · 1972: Pekka Vasala (FIN) · 1973–1974: Filbert Bayi (TAN) · 1975–1977: John Walker (NZL) · 1978: David Moorcroft (GBR) · 1979: Sebastian Coe (GBR) · 1980–1981: Steve Ovett (GBR) · 1982: Sydney Maree (USA) · 1983: Steve Ovett (GBR) · 1984–1985: Saïd Aouita (MAR) · 1986: Sebastian Coe (GBR) · 1987: Saïd Aouita (MAR) · 1988: Steve Cram (GBR) · 1989: Abdi Bile (SOM) · 1990–1995: Noureddine Morceli (ALG) · 1996–2003: Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) · 2004–2005: Bernard Lagat (KEN/USA) · 2006: Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (KEN) · 2007: Alan Webb (USA) · 2008: Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (KEN) · 2009: Augustine Kiprono Choge (KEN) · 2010: Silas Kiplagat (KEN)
1996 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award winners Marty Liquori • Thomas Lewis Lyons • Cliff B. Meely • Kurt L. Schmoke • Joe Theismann • Jack YoungbloodCategories:- 1949 births
- Living people
- American middle distance runners
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics
- Olympic track and field athletes of the United States
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1971 Pan American Games
- People from Cedar Grove, New Jersey
- People from Gainesville, Florida
- Villanova University alumni
- National Distance Running Hall of Fame inductees
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