Silvia Ruegger
Canadian long-distance runner (1961–2019)
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Silvia Ruegger (February 23, 1961 – August 23, 2019) was a long-distance runner from Canada who represented her native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, where she finished eighth in the women's marathon.[1] She came first in the 1985 Houston Marathon in 2:28:36.[2] She was born in Oshawa, Ontario, and grew up just south of the village of Newtonville, Ontario.[3] She died in August 2019, at the age of 58.[4]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Silvia Rosemarie Ruegger |
| Born | February 23, 1961 Oshawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | August 23, 2019 (aged 58) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Long-distance running |
Biography
Ruegger was born in Oshawa, Ontario in February 1961.[1] She was inspired to run after watching the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal,[5] and set herself a goal to compete at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.[1] However, Canada was one of the many nations to boycott the games.[6]
At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Ruegger competed in the women's marathon,[7] where she finished in eighth place,[8] setting a new national record in the process.[1] The following year, she won the 1985 Houston Marathon, setting another national record,[9] one that would stand for 28 years.[10] However, two weeks later, Ruegger was involved in a car accident.[11] Despite this, her career lasted another eleven years, which included winning the 1987 Pittsburgh Marathon.[1] She retired from long-distance running just before the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.[1]
After her running career, Reugger set up a national programme, called Start2Finish, to help at-risk young people.[1] In 2017, she was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.[12] She died two years later,[13] at the age of 58.[14]
Achievements
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  Canada | |||||
| 1984 | National Capital Marathon | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | 1st | Marathon | 2:30:37 |
| Olympic Games | Los Angeles, United States | 8th | Marathon | 2:29:09 | |
| 1985 | Houston Marathon | Houston, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:28:36 |
| 1987 | Pittsburgh Marathon | Pittsburgh, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:31:53 |
