Jürgen Straub (born November 3, 1953, in Weitersroda) is a former East German middle-distance runner who specialized in the

1500 metres The 1500 metres or 1500-metre run is the foremost middle distance track event in athletics. The distance has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896 and the World Championships in Athletics since 1983. It is equivalent to 1.5 kilomet ...

. Straub's greatest race won him a silver medal at the

1980 Summer Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad () and officially branded as Moscow 1980 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 19 July to 3 August 1980 in Moscow, Soviet Union, in present-day Russ ...

over

representing

East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...

, behind

Sebastian Coe Sebastian Newbold Coe, Baron Coe, (born 29 September 1956), often referred to as Seb Coe, is a British sports administrator, former politician and retired track and field athlete. As a middle-distance runner, Coe won four Olympic medals, incl ...

. In that race Straub surprisingly beat

800 metres The 800 metres, or 800 meters (American and British English spelling differences#-re.2C -er, US spelling), is a common track running event. It is the shortest commonly run middle-distance running event. The 800 metres is run over two laps of a ...

champion

Steve Ovett Stephen Michael James Ovett, (; born 9 October 1955) is a retired British track athlete. A middle-distance runner, he was the gold medalist in the 800 metres at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. Ovett set five world records for 1500 metre ...

into third place. Needing a strategy to compete against the two more favoured and fast-finishing British runners, Straub suddenly accelerated with still 700 meters of the race remaining and then steadily increased his pace to the end, overhauled only by Coe and crossing the finishing line in obvious delight. British athletics coach George Gandy later said "If anyone deserved a gold medal, it was Straub". Straub also finished third at the

1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...

and

1979 IAAF World Cup The 2nd IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event sponsored by the International Association of Athletics Federations, held on August 24–26, 1979, at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Overall re ...

s. Straub set his personal best over 1500 m in Potsdam in 1979 with a time of 3:33.68 min. This result places him sixth on the German all-time performers list, behind

Thomas Wessinghage Thomas Wessinghage (born 22 February 1952 in Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia) is a German former middle- and long-distance runner who won the 1982 European Championships' final over 5000 metres beating the British world-record holder David Moorc ...

Harald Hudak Harald Hudak (28 January 1957 – 2 December 2024) was a West German middle-distance runner who specialised in 1500 metres. Biography Hudak was born in Vaihingen an der Enz. He was one of the runners that set a world record of 14:38.8 minutes ...

Jens-Peter Herold Jens-Peter Herold (born 2 June 1965 in Neuruppin) is a retired German middle-distance runner who participated in several international championships in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In the 1987 World Championships in Athletics, 1987 World Ch ...

Dieter Baumann Dieter Baumann (, ; born 9 February 1965) is a German former athlete and 5000 m Olympic champion at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He also won the silver medal in the same event (5000 m) at the 1988 Summer Olympics. In 1999, Baumann test ...

and

Rüdiger Stenzel Rüdiger Stenzel (born 16 April 1968, in Gelsenkirchen) is a former German middle distance runner who participated in several international championships in the 1990s. He came second in the 1992 German championships behind Jens-Peter Herold thus ...

. Straub was an excellent

3000 m steeplechase The 3000 metres steeplechase or 3000-meter steeplechase (usually abbreviated as ) is the most common distance for the steeplechase in track and field. It is an obstacle race over the distance of the 3000 metres, which derives its name from the ...

r as well, winning three East German national titles over that distance.East German championships, men's 3000 m steeplechase
/ref> He competed for the sports club

ASK Vorwärts Potsdam Ask is the active verb for a direct question. Ask may also refer to: Places * Ask, Akershus, a village in Gjerdrum municipality, Akershus county, Norway * Ask, Buskerud, a village in Ringerike municipality, Buskerud county, Norway * Ask, Vestla ...

during his active career.

References

1953 births Living people East German male middle-distance runners East German male steeplechase runners Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes for East Germany Olympic silver medalists for East Germany Medalists at the 1980 Summer Olympics Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field) Recipients of the Patriotic Order of Merit in bronze East German Athletics Championships winners {{Germany-athletics-Olympic-medalist-stub