A few days after Billy Mills had caused a major upset by winning the 10,000 m at the Tokyo Games, Bob Schul took the gold medal in the 5,000 m to complete an Olympic double unprecedented in the history of U.S. distance running. Schul began his career as a miler but on moving to the longer distances he set a world record for two miles and a U.S. 5,000 m record. He was renowned for his devastating finishing kick and he turned on a 54.8 last lap in the Olympic 5,000 m which none of the more fancied runners could match. Schul, a Miami (Ohio) graduate, won bronze in the 1963 Pan American Games 5,000 m and won the AAU 5,000 m in 1964 and the three miles in 1965. He failed to qualify for the 1968 Olympics when he only finished sixth in the Final Trials 5,000 m.
Personal Bests: 1500 – 3:40.7 (1965); Mile – 3:58.9 (1964); 2 miles – 8:26.4 (1964); 5000 – 13:38.0 (1964); 3000S – 8:47.8 (1961).
United States