Jim Grelle
American middle-distance runner (1936–2020)
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James Edward Grelle (September 30, 1936 – June 13, 2020) was an American middle-distance runner. He had his best achievements in the 1500 m event, finishing eighth at the 1960 Olympics, winning a gold and a silver medal at the Pan American Games in 1963 and 1959, respectively.[1]
Grelle in 1966 | |||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | September 30, 1936 Portland, Oregon, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died | June 13, 2020 (aged 83) | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 68 kg (150 lb) | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||
Event | 800–5000 m | ||||||||||||||
| Club | Multnomah Athletic Club | ||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 800 m – 1:48.4 (1958) 1500 m – 3:38.9 (1964) Mile – 3:55.4 (1965) 5000 m – 14:10.8 (1966)[1][2] | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Grelle's first success was winning back to back Oregon state titles in the 880 yard run in 1954 and 1955 for Lincoln High School in Portland.[3]
While running for the University of Oregon he won the NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship in 1959 after being a runner up the previous two years.[4] Leading up to the 1960 Olympics, he won the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[5] He also added two Indoor Championships in 1965 and 1966.[6]
In 1962, at the Mt. SAC Relays Grelle became the 4th American sub-4 minute miler.[7] He won the Mile there three years in a row. In 1965, he briefly held the American record in the mile at 3:55.4. Nine days later, Jim Ryun improved upon the record. Ryun also relegated Grelle to a non-qualifying fourth place in the 1964 Olympic Trials. Previously in 1963, he held the American record in the 2 mile run at 8:25.2.[8]
Grelle was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1981,[8] to the Mt. SAC Relays Hall of Fame in 1991,[9] and to the Oregon Ducks Hall of Fame in 1994.[4]
Grelle died on June 13, 2020, at the age of 83.[10]
