Jim Ryun:
Ryun is still running – for Congress, in Kansas’ Second District. Ryun represented the district as a Republican for five terms before losing to Democrat Nancy Boyda in 2006. Ryun is attempting to regain his seat. Ryun is also the president of a public relations firm, Jim Ryun Sports, Inc., and has worked to help hearing impaired children. Jim and Anne Ryun live in Lawrence, Kansas. They have four adult children and six grandchildren.
Steve Ovett:
Living in Australia, Ovett has led a low-key retirement from athletics, generally surfacing only to do television work for broadcasters in Australia as well as the BBC and CBC.
Sebastian Coe:
A Conservative Member of Parliament from 1992-97, the now Lord Coe became a British peer in 2000. He led London’s successful bid to play host to the 2012 Summer Olympics and is now the chairman of the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games. Coe also serves as an IAAF vice president and was the first chairman of the independent watchdog for FIFA, the world organizing body for football (soccer, in the U.S.).
Lasse Viren:
Another ex-runner-turned-politician, Viren served in the Finnish Parliament from 1999-2007 as a member of the National Coalition Party. Viren and his wife live in Myrskala, a small town northeast of Helsinki. His recent public appearances included serving as the starter of the inaugural BUPA London 10,000-meter race.
Frank Shorter:
The first chairman of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Shorter is a motivational speaker, promotes races throughout the U.S. and served as a color commentator for NBC during the Olympic Games of 1988 – 2000. He owns Frank Shorter Sports, an athletic supply company.
Joan Samuelson:
Samuelson, then known as Joan Benoit, won the first Olympic women’s marathon in 1984. She held the world marathon record and won U.S. championships in 1981 (in the 10,000 meters) and 1984 (marathon). She won the 1979 and 1983 Boston marathons and earned the Sullivan Award as the nation's finest amateur athlete in 1985.
A motivational speaker, appearing often at races and running clinics, Samuelson has authored two books, “Running Tide” and “Joan Samuelson’s Running for Women.” To date she hasn’t completely retired. She finished the 2008 U.S. Olympic marathon trial in 2:49.08, an American record for the women’s 50-54-year-old age group. The Samuelsons reside in Freeport, Maine.
Brian Diemer:
The most recent American steeplechase Olympic medalist, Diemer earned a bronze at the Los Angeles Games in 1984. He also competed in the 1988 and 1992 Games was the U.S. track and field captain in ’92. Diemer placed fourth at the 1987 World Championships. He earned the gold medal at the 1990 Goodwill Games and the silver at both the 1995 Pan-American Games and the U.S. Olympic Festival that same year. He was the NCAA steeplechase national champion for the University of Michigan. Diemer won the Glen Cunningham Award, presented to the top distance runner in the U.S., in 1989.
Diemer has been the men's cross country coach at Calvin College (in Grand Rapids, Mich.) since 1986 and has served as assistant men’s and women’s track and field coach at the school. He’s been named the NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year twice.
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