He finds it almost impossible to be in the best shape possible two times in one season, he says. How could he succeed for such a long period of time? Most probably, as a result of his belief in the importance of peaking his shape before major competitions. This shows that he performed at the absolute top of marathon for six years.

Shorter achieved all of those victories between 19.

His worst result, along with an abandonment, was a fourth place. He won ten out of the fifteen marathons he took part in. Frank Shorter shortly before his greatest achievement: winning the olympic marathon 1972 in Munich.įirst: It was utterly successful. Shorter’s career was remarkable for various reasons. His achievements, especially the victory at the Olympics in Munich, thus significantly contributed to the running boom to emerge in the USA. His success also raised awareness of running among the American population (the Olympic marathon was broadcasted live on US television) and this is how he played a central role in making running attractive for the broad masses.

Shorter’s Olympic victory did not only represent his most important sporting victory. Between 19 Shorter also managed to win the prestigious Fukuoka Marathon in Japan four (!) times in a row. Four years later, at the Olympics in Montréal, he won the silver medal. He finished more than two minutes before everyone else. And he did in a very impressive way: Already in the first half of the competition, he broke away from the rest of the field. In 1972 he won the marathon at the Olympics in Munich. The American Frank Shorter was the dominating marathon runner of the 1970s.

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