George Young

Who is George Young?

George Young is an American former track and field athlete and college coach. He won a bronze medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics in the 3000 meter steeplechase and held several American records in events ranging from the two mile to the 5000 meter race. He broke two world records, in the indoor two and three mile events.

Born in Roswell, New Mexico, Young graduated from Western High School in Silver City in 1955. He then attended the University of Arizona where he competed in track and field. He began running the 3000 meter steeplechase in his senior year and finished second in that event at the National AAU championship. He graduated from the University in 1959 with an undergraduate degree after being named the "outstanding senior athlete" of the year.

Shortly after graduating, Young qualified for the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. During the preliminary rounds for the steeplechase, he tripped over a hurdle and thus did not advance to the finals. The next year, he broke the American steeplechase record when he ran the event in 8:31.0. He improved his Olympic record at the 1964 games in Tokyo, taking fifth place. In the first half of 1968, Young broke his own American steeplechase record with a time of 8:30.6 and set the American two mile record with a time of 8:22.0. At the 1968 Olympics, held in Mexico City, he competed in the marathon, placing 16th, and the steeplechase, where he placed third and took the bronze medal. In that race, he was leading with about 300 Meters to go before falling victim to Mexico City's altitude and "hitting the wall". The next year he set two world records in the indoor two and three mile events with times of 8:27.2 and 13:09.8, respectively. After a classic battle with University of Oregon All-American, Steve Prefontaine at the 1972 U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, he competed in the 5000 meter race at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, but did not advance to the final rounds.