Steve Prefontaine

Steve Roland Prefontaine (January 25, 1951 - May 30, 1975) was an American Olympic runner born in Coos Bay, Oregon. He competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. Prefontaine was primarily a long distance runner, and at one point held the American record in every running event from the 2000 meters to 10,000 meters. Prefontaine was killed on May 30, 1975 at the age of 24 in a car accident.

Aftermath

The death of Prefontaine proved shocking to many. The Eugene Register-Guard called his death "the end of an era." Controversy remains surrounding whether his death was classified an alcohol-related fatality. Although his blood alcohol content was 0.16, six hundredths higher than Oregon's then legal limit, it was a mortician that tested his blood rather than a medical examiner.

Related Topics:
Eugene - Register-Guard - Alcohol-related fatality - Blood alcohol content - Mortician

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By the time of his death, Prefontaine, affectionately called Pre, was a very popular runner, and along with Frank Shorter can be attributed with helping to spark the running boom of the 1970s. His story has lead to two movies documenting his life, 1997's Prefontaine and 1998's Without Limits. The documentary "Fire on the Track" was also made about him. An annual track event, the Pre Classic, has been held in his honor since 1974.

Related Topics:
1997 - Prefontaine - 1998 - Without Limits - Pre Classic - 1974

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After the crash, a memorial was made called Pre's Rock to commemorate the life of Steve Prefontaine. Since then, hundreds of items have been left including jerseys, medals, and shoes. Thirty years after Pre's death, the landmark still stands, a legacy to one of the greatest American runners that ever lived.

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"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift" - Steve Prefontaine

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