Rod Dixon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rod Dixon

Rod Dixon in 1976
Medal record
Men's Athletics
Representing  New Zealand
Olympic Games
Bronze	1972 Munich	1500 metres

Rodney Phillip Dixon (born 13 July 1950) is a famous former long-distance runner from New Zealand. He won a bronze medal in the 1500 metres race at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Later, in 1983, he achieved a big win at the New York City Marathon.

Rod Dixon's Running Journey

Rodney Phillip Dixon was born on July 13, 1950, in Nelson, New Zealand. He became known for his amazing running skills.

Early Olympic Success

Rod Dixon first represented New Zealand at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. He earned a bronze medal by finishing third in the 1500 metres race. This was a great start to his Olympic career.

Two years later, at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, he finished fourth in the 1500 metres. His time of 3:33.89 was one of the fastest ever recorded at that time. It remained his best time for that distance.

Moving to Longer Races

After his success in the 1500 metres, Rod Dixon started running longer races. He moved up to the 5000 metres event. In 1975, he was ranked as the number one runner in the world for this distance by Track & Field News magazine.

At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Dixon competed in the 5000 metres. He finished fourth, just missing out on another Olympic medal. He was very close to getting a bronze, but another runner, Klaus-Peter Hildenbrand, made a last-second dive that put him ahead.

Road Running and Marathon Win

Rod Dixon could not compete in the 1980 Summer Olympics because of a boycott. After this, he started focusing on road running races. He became one of the most successful athletes on the US road racing circuit in the early 1980s.

He won several important races, including the Falmouth Road Race in 1980 and the Bay to Breakers race in both 1982 and 1983. His move to even longer distances paid off in 1983. He won the famous New York City Marathon, which was a huge achievement.

He continued to compete in marathons. At the 1984 Summer Olympics, he finished 10th in the marathon race.

Beyond Competing

Even when he couldn't race due to injury, Rod Dixon stayed involved in running. In 1985, he helped guide a blind runner during the Bay to Breakers race. He also became the first person to use a "Helmet Cam" at the 1985 New York Marathon. This camera allowed viewers to see the race from his perspective as he followed the lead runners.

The 1980 Olympic Boycott

The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott caused some problems for Rod Dixon. He learned about the boycott before it was officially announced. He felt that the New Zealand government should not have interfered with the Olympic Games. He believed that athletes should have been part of the decision-making process. This disagreement led to Dixon moving to the United States to continue his running career on the road racing circuit.

Rod Dixon's Best Times

Here are some of Rod Dixon's personal best times in different running distances:

Major Achievements

Here are some of Rod Dixon's most important achievements representing New Zealand:

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  New Zealand
1972	Olympic Games	Munich, West Germany	3rd, Bronze Medal	1500 metres	3:37.5
1976	Olympic Games	Montreal, Canada	4th	5000 metres	13:25.50
1982	1982 IAAF World Cross Country Championships	Rome, Italy	3rd, Bronze Medal	11.978 km	34:01
1984	Olympic Games	Los Angeles, United States	10th	Marathon	2:12:57

See also

In Spanish: Rod Dixon para niños