On this Day in 1977Marty Liquori Sets American Record over 5000 Meters

Villanova's legendary Marty Liquori finished 1977 ranked #1 in the world at 5000 meters -- the last American to achieve that ranking.  His top ranking for the year was solidified by his August 24, 1977 victory in the 5000 meters at the Weltklasse meeting in Zurich.  There he defeated reigning world record holder Dick Quax of New Zealand and Ethiopia's Miruts Yifter (who would go on to win both the 5000 and 10,000 meter Gold Medals at the 1980 Moscow Olympics).  His time of 13:16.0 broke Duncan McDonald's extant American record of 13:19.40 set on August 10, 1976.  Liquori would go on to break his own American record 11 days later in Dusseldorf when he ran 13:15.06.

Zurich Weltklasse 5000

1.  Marty Liquori   USA     13:16.0  AR
2.  Dick Quax       NZL     13:17.3
3.  Miruts Yifter   ETH     13:21.6

Here is a "greatest hits" video for Liquori.  The two 5000 meter national records start at the 2:20 mark of the video.