Hassan's triple anyone remember Said Aouita 88?

[El Toro]

and Zátopek preceded that with triple gold in '52.

Slightly less successful and probably unrepeated triples (and more!) from the earliest games where there was nothing between the 1500 and marathon distances:

In 1896, where Edwin Flack (AUS) won the 800/1500 double then was a DNF in the Marathon, withdrawing at 37km, while leading. Given the distance was 40 km that year, he almost made it. Not bad for an essentially untrained athlete. Flack also extended that triple to a double sport quintuple with an appearance in tennis singles and a third in tennis doubles.

Not to be left out, Albin Lermusiaux (FRA) also tripled with a 1st SF2 800, DNS Final, 3rd Final 1500, DNF (32km) Marathon. Like Flack, he was also a multi sport competitor at the Shooting (unknown placing but in the range 14th to 42nd).

Arthur Blake (USA) didn't triple but, along with the other two above, did the rare double of 2nd in 1500 and DNF at 23km in Marathon.

Aaahh, the old days...

[said88]

As I recall, Aouita, to the surprise of many, simply abandoned the 5000 in 1988 (his best chance for gold) , for the challenge of trying to become the first in history to have won the Olympic 800, 1500, and 5000 (in a career). I'm not sure, but I think he showed up for the 1500 heats with his thigh wrapped.

He seemed to have a great desire to secure his place in history, and evidently having great range was, in his mind, a way to do it. He had run a good 10,000 (27:26.11, Oslo 1986), as well as an 8:21 steeplechase in late 1987. Rather than go for a 5-10 double, he opted for the 800 and 1500. And remains, if I am correct, the only man to have medaled in the 800 and the 5000. But he never won an Olympic medal in the 1500. Indeed, his only World Championship medal in the 1500 was is bonze from 1983.

Aouita wanted to run the 1500m in Seoul 88. And if things went well before maybe also the 800. That's what he has said in several interviews before. The 800/1500/5000 triple was press made.

[Steele]

Who never won a 1500m gold at world level or set a world mile record. I think Steve Cram's claim is stronger.

Coe's two golds and multiple WRs might trump Cram's one Worlds gold and two WRs.

[Wiederganger]

In several interviews before Seoul, Aouita said he wanted to run the 1500 and maybe also the 800. This also was part of his long time plan which included a 5000/10000 double in Rome 87, 800/1500 double in Seoul and 5000/10000 double in Barcelona 92.
The 800/1500/5000 triple for Seoul 88 was made up by the press.

This is how I remember it as well.

It was a similar situation to Drechsler in '88: she was entered in the 100m, 200m & LJ, but the press said she was also doing the 4x100m & 4x400m as well - and I believed this myself until recently. However, it seems she was never down to run the 4x100m and her only 4x1 outing that year was with her club, she did not run in any of the international meetings or test meetings. The 4x4 was a possibility, but the back injury she sustained just before the Games stopped them taking any risks. However, it was true that in 87 she was down for the 100m, LJ, 4x100 and 4x400. She had a run out in the 4x4 at the European Cup, which was effectively her trial run for a place in the 4x4 in Rome. However....the knee injury from the LJ in Rome meant no relays. They replaced her in the 4x1 with Oschkenat, & they were soundly beaten. I think this is one of the reasons why she was never in the 4x1 come Seoul, as there was a risk she would be replaced, so they practiced with who they thought were more likely to start. That, and, according to Drechsler's own autobiography, because Gohr & her coach did not want her in the team as she did not practice as much as them...

A slightly off tangent, but relevant, example. With no social media then, rumours snowballed into facts. And crazy triples/quadruples meant more likely to get injured or suffer after effects.