Rod Dixon
Encyclopedia
Rodney Phillip "Rod" Dixon (born 13 July 1950) is a former New Zealand middle distance runner. He won the bronze medal over 1500 metres at the 1972 Olympics
in Munich, and in 1983 won the prestigious New York City Marathon
.
.
Dixon, along with John Walker
and Dick Quax
, was one of a trio of world-class middle distance runners from New Zealand in the 1970s. He was the first of the three to taste Olympic success with his bronze medal in 1972, but was then somewhat overshadowed by the other two over the next few years, particularly by his good friend Walker. Nevertheless, he posted impressive 1,500-meter (3:33.9) and mile (3:53.6) times during the 1970s and Track & Field News magazine ranked Dixon first in the world in the 5,000 meters in 1975.
Dixon placed fourth in two of the epic track races of the 1970s. In the 1500 metres at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch
, he was fourth behind the new world record holder Filbert Bayi
(3:32.2), John Walker whose time of 3:32.5 also broke the previous world record, and Ben Jipcho (3:33.2) who became the fourth fastest of all-time. Dixon's time of 3:33.9 had only ever been beaten once prior to the race. In the 5000 metres at the 1976 Montreal Olympics
Dixon was beaten by four-time Olympic Champion Lasse Virén
, team-mate Quax and Klaus-Peter Hildenbrand
whose last second dive/fall denied Dixon a second Olympic bronze medal. In this very closely fought race, Dixon lost to Viren by under six metres or 0.74 seconds, to Quax by under three metres or 0.34 seconds and to Hildenbrand by just under a metre or 0.12 seconds. Dixon sprinted less than a metre behind Virén still with 200 metres to go and was about two metres behind the Finnish Olympic champion with 100 metres to go (see, for example,
Matti Hannus, "The Montreal Olympic Book" / Montrealin Olympiakirja, published in Finland in 1976; Mauno Saari, "Lasse Viren: The Secrets of Running" / Lasse Viren: Juoksemisen salaisuudet, published in Finland in 1979; YouTube also has three videos about 1976 Olympic 5000m).
Ultimately, however, Rod Dixon was regarded as especially outstanding for the length and versatility of his career as a top-flight runner. He set world class times in all events from 1500 m (3:33.9) to the marathon
(2:08:59), won bronze medals in the World Cross Country Championships
in 1973 and 1982, and was one of the more successful athletes on the US road racing
circuit in the early 80s, including wins at the Falmouth Road Race
(1980), Bay to Breakers
(1982 & 1983), the Lynchburg, Virginia 10 miler (1981 & 1983), and the Philadelphia Half-Marathon (1980, 1981). His gradual move to longer distances was climaxed by his 1983 marathon victory in New York City in one of the most dramatic finishes the event has seen, when he came from behind to catch leader Geoff Smith
at the 26-mile mark and won by 9 seconds. Interview with Rod Dixon showing the finish. This video was produced by the Los Angeles Marathon
where Dixon is currently the Director of Training.
Unable to compete due to an injury, Dixon guided a blind
runner in the 1985 Bay to Breakers.
New Zealand at the 1972 Summer Olympics
New Zealand competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. For the first time at the Olympics, God Defend New Zealand was played instead of God Save the King/Queen...
in Munich, and in 1983 won the prestigious New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
.
Biography
He was born on 13 July 1950 in Nelson, New ZealandNelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
.
Dixon, along with John Walker
John Walker (runner)
Sir John George Walker, KNZM, CBE, is a former middle distance runner from New Zealand.Walker was the first person to run the mile in under 3:50, and won the Olympic Games 1500m in Montreal in 1976....
and Dick Quax
Dick Quax
Theodorus Jacobus Leonardus "Dick" Quax is a New Zealand runner and former world record holder in the 5000 metres. He stood for Parliament with the ACT Party in 1999 and 2002...
, was one of a trio of world-class middle distance runners from New Zealand in the 1970s. He was the first of the three to taste Olympic success with his bronze medal in 1972, but was then somewhat overshadowed by the other two over the next few years, particularly by his good friend Walker. Nevertheless, he posted impressive 1,500-meter (3:33.9) and mile (3:53.6) times during the 1970s and Track & Field News magazine ranked Dixon first in the world in the 5,000 meters in 1975.
Dixon placed fourth in two of the epic track races of the 1970s. In the 1500 metres at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, he was fourth behind the new world record holder Filbert Bayi
Filbert Bayi
Filbert Bayi is a former Tanzanian middle-distance runner of the 1970s who set the world records for 1500 metres in 1974 and the mile in 1975...
(3:32.2), John Walker whose time of 3:32.5 also broke the previous world record, and Ben Jipcho (3:33.2) who became the fourth fastest of all-time. Dixon's time of 3:33.9 had only ever been beaten once prior to the race. In the 5000 metres at the 1976 Montreal Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
Dixon was beaten by four-time Olympic Champion Lasse Virén
Lasse Virén
Lasse Artturi Virén is a former Finnish long-distance runner, winner of four gold medals at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics...
, team-mate Quax and Klaus-Peter Hildenbrand
Klaus-Peter Hildenbrand
Klaus-Peter Hildenbrand was a West German athlete who competed mainly in the 5000 metres.In the 1974 European Athletics Championships, he placed eighth in the 5,000-metre final, about fifteen seconds behind the winner,Great Britain's Brendan Foster.He competed for West Germany in the 1976 Summer...
whose last second dive/fall denied Dixon a second Olympic bronze medal. In this very closely fought race, Dixon lost to Viren by under six metres or 0.74 seconds, to Quax by under three metres or 0.34 seconds and to Hildenbrand by just under a metre or 0.12 seconds. Dixon sprinted less than a metre behind Virén still with 200 metres to go and was about two metres behind the Finnish Olympic champion with 100 metres to go (see, for example,
Matti Hannus, "The Montreal Olympic Book" / Montrealin Olympiakirja, published in Finland in 1976; Mauno Saari, "Lasse Viren: The Secrets of Running" / Lasse Viren: Juoksemisen salaisuudet, published in Finland in 1979; YouTube also has three videos about 1976 Olympic 5000m).
Ultimately, however, Rod Dixon was regarded as especially outstanding for the length and versatility of his career as a top-flight runner. He set world class times in all events from 1500 m (3:33.9) to the marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
(2:08:59), won bronze medals in the World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...
in 1973 and 1982, and was one of the more successful athletes on the US road racing
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
circuit in the early 80s, including wins at the Falmouth Road Race
Falmouth Road Race
The Falmouth Road Race is an annual 7-mile road race on Cape Cod from Woods Hole, a village in the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts, to Falmouth Heights.-History:...
(1980), Bay to Breakers
Bay to Breakers
The Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace which takes place in San Francisco, California on the third Sunday of May. The name reflects the fact that the race starts at the northeast end of the downtown area a few blocks from The Embarcadero and runs west through the city to finish at the Great...
(1982 & 1983), the Lynchburg, Virginia 10 miler (1981 & 1983), and the Philadelphia Half-Marathon (1980, 1981). His gradual move to longer distances was climaxed by his 1983 marathon victory in New York City in one of the most dramatic finishes the event has seen, when he came from behind to catch leader Geoff Smith
Geoff Smith (athlete)
Geoffrey Smith is a British long-distance runner who won the Boston Marathon in both 1984 and 1985.-Notable Information:...
at the 26-mile mark and won by 9 seconds. Interview with Rod Dixon showing the finish. This video was produced by the Los Angeles Marathon
Los Angeles Marathon
The Honda LA Marathon is an annual running event held each spring in Los Angeles, California. The 26.219 mile footrace, inspired by the success of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games, has been contested every year since 1986...
where Dixon is currently the Director of Training.
Unable to compete due to an injury, Dixon guided a blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
runner in the 1985 Bay to Breakers.
Personal Bests
| Distance | Time | Place | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800 m | 1:47.6 | ||
| 1500 m | 3:33.89 | Christchurch | 1974 |
| Mile | 3:53.62 | Stockholm | 1975 |
| 3000 m Steeplechase | 8:29 | ||
| 5000 m | 13:17.27 | Stockholm | 1976 |
| 10000 m | 28:11.0 | ||
| Half Marathon | 1:02:12 NR New Zealand records in athletics The following are the national records in athletics in New Zealand maintained by New Zealand's national athletics federation: Athletics New Zealand .... |
Philadelphia | 1981 |
| Marathon | 2:08:59 | New York | 1983 |
Achievements
| Representing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Auckland Marathon Auckland Marathon The Auckland Marathon and Half Marathon is an annual marathon running race held in Auckland, New Zealand. The event is held in October, or early November of each year, which is during the spring in New Zealand. The main feature of the event is the crossing of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, which... |
Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world... , New Zealand |
1st | Marathon | 2:11:21 |
| 1983 | New York City Marathon New York City Marathon The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010... |
New York, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:08:59 |
| 1984 | Olympic Games Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 41 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 17 by women. There were a total number of 1273 participating athletes from 124 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:... |
Los Angeles Los Angeles, California Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California... , United States |
10th | Marathon | 2:12:57 |