RIP: Miruts Yifter, 72

[Olli]

Mike Boit was ranked 3rd in the 800m in 1976. I may be remembering a hope but I think he hooked up with Juantorena after the Olympics.

Thanks. I only looked at the 1500m, 5000m, 10,000m, and steeple rankings.

[NotDutra5]

I don't have statistics of 1976 at hand, but it seems Yifter, Rono, and Boit do not appear at all in TFN rankings of that year, whereas Bayi is ranked 10th. Of course, any of them might have shown their best form in the

Mike Boit was ranked 3rd in the 800m in 1976. I may be remembering a hope but I think he hooked up with Juantorena after the Olympics.

[bambam1729]

Bayi v Walker could have been something. Someone said they didn't Bayi was at his best in 76 but neither was Walker. I remember reading that he started having problems that year with chronic compartment syndromes in both lower legs and had to change his training to accommodate that and get thru the Olympic year before having surgery on them. They were both at their best in 74-75, I think

On the other hand he did run hi 4:51 2000 WR earlier in 76, which he said was his greatest run ever (and I would agree), so maybe that's wrong - what I wrote above

[Olli]

I don't have statistics of 1976 at hand, but it seems Yifter, Rono, and Boit do not appear at all in TFN rankings of that year, whereas Bayi is ranked 10th. Of course, any of them might have shown their best form in the olympics, but one would also think that they would have sought an opportunity to show it elsewhere, if they were in top form.

I have a vague recollection that when I first heard of the boycott in radio news, they said only that Tanzania is planning to boycott the games because of New Zealand rugby team's trip to South Africa. I remember I had the thought: aha, they don't care for the Olympics since Bayi is not in good form...

[bambam1729]

Bayi v Walker could have been something. Someone said they didn't Bayi was at his best in 76 but neither was Walker. I remember reading that he started having problems that year with chronic compartment syndromes in both lower legs and had to change his training to accommodate that and get thru the Olympic year before having surgery on them. They were both at their best in 74-75, I think

[NotDutra5]

I think there's a lot of assumption on some of the missing African runners and how they would have fared in Montreal. Mike Boit and Bayi were two absolute certainty as potential or even probable winners. Rono really didn't make his mark until '77 or definitely '78. Yifter was outrun to the finish in '72 by Viren and there was nothing which happened in Montreal which would lead me to believe it wouldn't have occurred again. Yifter's big years were '77-'80.

[Olli]

Oh but for the African boycott in 1976. Yifter would have had a big say in the 5 and 10, I believe I read that Rono said he would have won the steeple, and we lost out on the chance to see Bayi-Walker, the event I was most looking forward to.

Correct me if I am wrong, but as far as I remember neither Yifter nor Bayi made particularly impressive results in 1976. Of course it would have been great if they had participated, but probably Walker and Viren would have won in any case. (Same applies to Gärderud.)

[berkeley]

My personal favorite was the 77 world cup 5k, in which Liquori vainly chased him in the last lap, getting within a few feet before being left for dead in the homestretch.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjI5pvGhJDRAhVIiVQKHZl5AboQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhistoriatletismo.blogspot.com%2F2010_09_01_archive.html&bvm=bv.142059868,d.cGw&psig=AFQjCNEE07VhhvpbJpDci3Yl5wYDfY6gAQ&ust=1482778989345545

[gh]

Yifter wasn't in the 5000m in Munich. He missed his heat as he went to the wrong gate...IIRC the story correctly.

correct... he was "left crying in the tunnel as the race went off without him"

[DrJay]

Oh but for the African boycott in 1976. Yifter would have had a big say in the 5 and 10, I believe I read that Rono said he would have won the steeple, and we lost out on the chance to see Bayi-Walker, the event I was most looking forward to.

[NotDutra5]

I have wondered about the ramifications of Yifter misjudging the laps. Perhaps Steve would have used different tactics in the Munich 5,000 (maybe pushing the pace earlier in the race because of concerns about his finishing speed) if Yifter had legitimately blown past him in Durham.

Yifter wasn't in the 5000m in Munich. He missed his heat as he went to the wrong gate...IIRC the story correctly.

[bambam1729]

Didn't he have the nickname---Yifter the Shifter---meaning he shifted gears so speedily with his kick?
Or was that name one I gave him?
Whatever the case, one of the greatest distance runners!!
RIP

That's correct, aaronk - a nickname used for him

[bambam1729]

That race was in 1971.

Thats's right - it was while I was in college because I actually saw Pre in Al Buehler's office the day before the race.

[Chicago]

I remember him best, actually, for the meet in ?1974 in Durham when he raced Prefontaine in the 5K and misjudged the laps and kicked on the penultimate lap, and then stopped. Pre ended up with an easy victory.

I have wondered about the ramifications of Yifter misjudging the laps. Perhaps Steve would have used different tactics in the Munich 5,000 (maybe pushing the pace earlier in the race because of concerns about his finishing speed) if Yifter had legitimately blown past him in Durham.

[cubehead]

I remember him best, actually, for the meet in ?1974 in Durham when he raced Prefontaine in the 5K and misjudged the laps and kicked on the penultimate lap, and then stopped. Pre ended up with an easy victory.

That race was in 1971.