Page "Jim Ryun" Paragraph 14

Ryun participated in the 1964, 1968, and 1972 Summer Olympics, but the gold medal eluded him.

Having completely recovered from mononucleosis in the spring of 1968, he won a silver medal in the 1500 meters that autumn in the high altitude of Mexico City, losing to Kip Keino from Kenya, whose remarkable race remained the Olympic 1, 500-meter record for 16 years.

( Before the race Ryun had thought that a time of 3: 39 would be good enough to win in the high altitude of Mexico City.

He ended up running faster than that with a 3: 37. 8, but Keino's 3: 34. 9 was too tough to beat at that altitude.

Years later, in 1981, he told Tex Maule in an interview for The Runner magazine, " We had thought that 3: 39 would win and I ran under that.

I considered it like winning a gold medal ; I had done my very best and I still believe I would have won at sea level.

" Ryun was attacked by some writers who believed he had let his nation down.

" Some even said I had let down the whole world.

I didn't get any credit for running my best and no one seemed to realize that Keino had performed brilliantly.

") In the 1972 Munich, Germany games, he was tripped and fell down during a 1500-meter qualifying heat.

Although the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) acknowledged that a foul had occurred and tapes from a German television station clearly demonstrated that Ryun was tripped, U. S. appeals to have Ryun reinstated in the competition were denied by the IOC.