Gaston Reiff
Medal record | ||
---|---|---|
Men's athletics | ||
Representing Belgium | ||
Olympic Games | ||
1948 London | 5000 metres |
Gaston Reiff (24 February 1921 – 6 May 1992) was a Belgian athlete, winner of the 1948 Olympic title in the 5,000 m.
Biography
Reiff was born in Braine-l'Alleud, and competed in boxing and football before switching to running. His greatest performance is no doubt his 5000 m title at the 1948 Summer Olympics. In a rainy London, he held off Czechoslovakian Emil Zátopek, winner of the 10000 m, who closed in fast in the final meters. By winning, he became the first Belgian track and field athlete to win an Olympic title.
Apart from his Olympic championship, Reiff also set world records in the 2000 m, 3000 m and 2 miles, and won a bronze medal in the 5000 m at the 1950 European Championships. He won 24 national titles, and set 26 national records; in 1951 he possessed all Belgian records on distances ranging from 1000 m to 10000 m. In 1952, he failed to retain his Olympic title in Helsinki, and had to abandon the final.
Reiff died in his birthplace at age 71. Nearly ten years after his death, he was placed third in the Walloon athlete of the 20th century election.
- Use dmy dates from November 2010
- Belgian middle distance runners
- Belgian long-distance runners
- Olympic athletes of Belgium
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1948 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1952 Summer Olympics
- 1921 births
- 1992 deaths
- Olympic gold medalists for Belgium
- Former world record holders in athletics (track and field)
- Olympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
- Belgian athletics biography stubs