Frank Shorter facts for kids
Shorter in 2002
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Frank Charles Shorter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality |  United States |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | October 31, 1947 Munich, Allied-occupied Germany |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 134 lb | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Long-distance running | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Marathon, 10,000 meters | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | Yale | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Florida Track Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 3000 meters: 7:51.4 5000 meters: 13:26.62 10,000 meters: 27:45.91 Marathon: 2:10:30 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Frank Charles Shorter (born October 31, 1947) is a famous American long-distance runner. He won a gold medal in the marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics. He also earned a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics. His success helped make running very popular in the United States during the 1970s. This period is often called the "running boom."
Contents
Early Life and Education
Frank Shorter was born in Munich, Germany. His father was a doctor serving in the U.S. Army there. Frank grew up in Middletown, New York. A street there, Frank Shorter Way, was named in his honor.
He finished high school at the Northfield Mount Hermon School in 1965. Then, he went to Yale University and earned a degree in 1969. Later, he studied law at the University of Florida College of Law, finishing in 1974.
Running Career Highlights
Frank Shorter first became known for his running in 1969. He won the six-mile run title for college athletes while at Yale. In 1970, he won his first U.S. national titles in the three-mile and six-mile races. He also won the U.S. national 10,000-meter championship several times.
After Yale, Shorter thought about becoming a doctor. But he decided to focus on his running instead. He moved to Florida to train with other great runners like Jack Bacheler and Jeff Galloway. They were part of the Florida Track Club. Their success made Gainesville, Florida, a top place for distance running in the early 1970s.
Shorter won the U.S. national cross-country championships four times in a row from 1970 to 1973. He also won the 10,000-meter run and the marathon at the U.S. Olympic Trials in both 1972 and 1976. In 1971, he won both the 10,000-meter run and the marathon at the Pan American Games.
He won the Fukuoka Marathon four times from 1971 to 1974. This race was considered one of the most important marathons in the world. His fastest marathon time was 2 hours, 10 minutes, and 30 seconds, set in Fukuoka in 1972. He also won the Lake Biwa Marathon in Japan in 1973.
Olympic Success
Frank Shorter is most famous for his achievements in the marathon. He is the only American runner to win two medals in the Olympic marathon.
At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany (where he was born!), he first placed fifth in the 10,000-meter race. A few days later, he won the gold medal in the marathon. During this race, someone ran into the stadium ahead of him, pretending to be the winner. But Shorter knew he was first and confidently crossed the finish line. He later received the James E. Sullivan Award as the best amateur athlete in the U.S.
At the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, Shorter focused only on the marathon. He won the silver medal, finishing second.
After Running
From 2000 to 2003, Frank Shorter was the chairman of the United States Anti-Doping Agency. He helped create this organization to fight against cheating in sports.
He was shown as a character in the 1998 movie Without Limits. This film was about his friend and fellow runner, Steve Prefontaine.
Frank Shorter has been honored many times. He was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame in 1984. He also joined the USA National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1989 and the National Distance Running Hall of Fame in 1998.
He helped start the Bolder Boulder race in Colorado in 1979. This popular 10K race happens every year on Memorial Day. A life-size bronze statue of Frank Shorter stands outside the stadium where the race finishes.
In 2021, Frank Shorter and his wife, Michelle Cox, moved to Falmouth, Massachusetts.
Personal Records
- 2 miles - 8:26.2 (1971)
- 3 miles – 12:52.0 (1974)
- 5000 meters – 13:26.60 (1977)
- 10,000 meters – 27:45.91 (1975)
- Marathon (42.195 km) – 2:10:30 (1972)
Images for kids
-
Shorter (left) running 10,000 m at the 1972 Olympics, shown on a stamp from Umm al-Quwain.
See also
In Spanish: Frank Shorter para niños
- List of Levin College of Law graduates
- List of University of Florida alumni
- List of University of Florida Olympians
- List of Yale University people
