Bill Rodgers

Bill Rodgers followed Frank Shorter as America’s best marathoner, but he never enjoyed Olympic success. Hampered by an injury at Montréal he finished only 40th in the 1976 Olympic marathon. The 1980 Olympic boycott prevented him from competing when he might have been the favorite in the race.

Rodgers first came to the international fore when he finished third at the 1975 International Cross-Country race, and also won the Boston Marathon that year. He eventually won Boston four times – 1975 and 1978-80. He also won the New York Marathon consecutively from 1977-79 and was Fukuoka International Marathon champion in 1977. When he won the 1978 Boston Marathon, it made him the only marathoner ever to be the current champion at Boston, New York, and Fukuoka, three of the world’s most prestigious races.

He was world-ranked #1 in 1975, 1977, and 1979. He continued to compete well and won several marathons in 1981-83 but failed to make the 1984 Olympic Team, which effectively ended his career at the top international level. Rodgers also won several AAU road titled from 1973-77 and in 1979, broke the world track record for 25 km.

Personal Bests: 2 miles – 8:58.8 (1978); 5000 – 13:42.0 (1978); 10000 – 28:04.42 (1976); Mar – 2-09:27 (1979).