Miruts Yifter has died.

Pherekydes

Yifter "the shifter" has died in Canada (apparently) aged 72.

He won the 5/10 double in Moscow and also won bronze in Munich eight years earlier.

Winning in Moscow:



RIP

axe2grind

That double in Moscow is one of my earliest athletics memories it being the first olympics I watched. I seem to remember there were doubts about his age then?

RIP

Exiled1

The real deal. Pure talent, guts and an awesome finishing spurt irrespective of length of race. He could change gears better than any athlete I have ever seen. Hope he enjoyed the fruits of his greatness.

The Bin Man

Exiled1 wrote: »

The real deal. Pure talent, guts and an awesome finishing spurt irrespective of length of race. He could change gears better than any athlete I have ever seen. Hope he enjoyed the fruits of his greatness.

So true. I think he was affectionately known as, "Yifter The Shifter." He sure could shift.

Oh, my earliest sporting memory.

youngrun

Great runner, would he outkick Mo?:D
Great race here , and the two Irish lads really put it up to them
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL0wGobeKZ4

Mongfinder General

youngrun wrote: »

Great runner, would he outkick Mo?:D
Great race here , and the two Irish lads really put it up to them
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL0wGobeKZ4

A great race. Coughlan's face is a picture. He can't get near Yifter in the end. Every time he attacks, Yifter just steps it up. Tremendous tenacity.

walshb

Eamon spent too much time on the last lap worrying about who was or wasn't passing him...He looked absolute spent.

Mongfinder General

walshb wrote: »

Eamon spent too much time on the last lap worrying about who was or wasn't passing him...He looked absolute spent.

And Hickey the bollox rubbed it in all those years later. https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.balls.ie/amp/olympics/eamonn-coghlan-tells-incredible-pat-hickey-story-in-todays-sunday-times/343622

walshb

Mongfinder General wrote: »

And Hickey the bollox rubbed it in all those years later. https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.balls.ie/amp/olympics/eamonn-coghlan-tells-incredible-pat-hickey-story-in-todays-sunday-times/343622

And trying to get the shift from the wife...what a man!

jamule

walshb wrote: »

And trying to get the shift from the wife...what a man!

A class act.

jamule

walshb wrote: »

Eamon spent too much time on the last lap worrying about who was or wasn't passing him...He looked absolute spent.

He was in panic mode, he looked like a lad that had too many doubts, he tried to cover every moveand evwntyally the head went. the fin wouldn't normally have got near him in the finishing straight.