Steve Spence

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameSteven Anthony "Steve"•Spence
Used nameSteve•Spence
Born9 May 1962 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (USA)
Measurements175 cm / 62 kg
AffiliationsNew Balance Track Club
NOC United States

Biography

Steve Spence ran the marathon at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, finishing 12th. His major international accomplishment was winning the bronze medal in the marathon at the 1991 World Championships. He was USA Champion in the marathon in 1990 and 1992. Spence ran in college at Shippensburg University, where he twice won the D-2 NCAA title in the 5K. He later became the head track and cross-country coach at Shippensburg.

Spence is perhaps best known for his yearly streak of running sub-5 minute miles. He first broke 5-minutes for the mile in 1976, and ran sub-5 for 42 consecutive years, running 4:55.7 in 2017, when he was 55-years-old. The streak is still active at this writing in 2018. Spence’s daughter, Neely Spence Gracey, ran for the United States at the 2009 and 2013 World Cross-Country championships and was eighth at 5000m at the 2011 Pan-Am Games.

Personal Best: Mar – 2-12:17 (1990).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1992 Summer Olympics Athletics USA Steve Spence
Marathon, Men (Olympic) 12

Special Notes