Allan Lawrence (athlete)

Allan Cleave Evan Lawrence ( born July 9, 1930 in Punchbowl, New South Wales) is an Australian athlete who was successful in the 1950s as a long distance runner. He won an Olympic bronze medal.

From 1958 to 1960 he lived in the United States to start for the Houston Cougars. Early 1980, he acquired the U.S. citizenship and founded the Al Lawrence Running Club in Houston, which is still active today.

Together with Mark Scheid, he wrote the following books (all published by Little, Brown & Co):

  • The Self - Coached Runner, Boston 1984
  • The Self - Coached Runner II: Cross Country and the Shorter Distances, Boston 1987
  • Running and Racing after 35, Boston 1990

Allan Lawrence is 1,71 m tall and weighed 61 kg in his playing days.

Career

In addition, he participated in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne and 1960 in Rome, the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954 in Vancouver and the World Student Games UIE in 1957 in Moscow.

Allan Lawrence was also a successful Senior athletes in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Olympic Games Melbourne 1956

Lawrence stepped up to over 5000 meters and 10,000 meters. Over 5000 meters, he won his heat in 14:14,67 min while ago Volodymyr Kuz, but was then injured the competition no longer continue. Over 10,000 meters, however, he showed himself in great shape and ran into 28:53,59 min personal best. For this he was rewarded with the bronze medal behind Kuz ( gold in 28:45,59 min ) and the Hungary József Kovács ( silver in 28:52,36 min).

Olympic Games in Rome in 1960

In Rome, Lawrence was unable to repeat his success of Melbourne. About 5000 meters he failed to qualify for the finals in fourth place his forward playback. With his time of 14:10,71 min he would not come in the other three heats. Over 10,000 meters he had to give, and in the marathon he reached on 64 participants only 54th ( 2:38:46,0 h, it won the Ethiopian Abebe Bikila in 2:15:16,2 h).

Commonwealth Games in Vancouver 1954

Lawrence started on the 3 - and 6-mile distance, where he places ten and six occupied, as well as in the marathon, but he could not finish.

Universiade in Moscow 1957

From the World Student Games Lawrence took two medals home with them. Over 5000 meters, he won bronze in 13:54,2 min behind the Hungarian Miklós Szabó ( gold in 13:51,8 min ) and Friedrich Janke from the GDR ( silver in 13:52,0 min), and over 10,000 meters was he in 29:16,4 min only the starting of the Soviet Union Pyotr Bolotnikov ( gold in 29:14,6 min) inferior.

Bests

  • 5000 m: 13:54,2 min ( 1957)
  • 10,000 m: 28:53,59 min ( 1956)
  • Marathon: 2:26:43,0 h (1953 )
Long-distance running 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games 5000 metres East Germany
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