Posted: January 30, 2006

Athletics: Two-Time Olympian, U.S. Record Holder Bob Kennedy Retires

By Matt McGowan, RunOhio

On Friday, January 20, two-time Olympian Bob Kennedy announced his retirement from racing. Kennedy, 35, a graduate of Westerville North High School, Ohio and Indiana University has been America's top distance runner for over 15 years.

Kennedy said he used to get excited to race every year, but last summer the buzz never returned. "I have no regrets." Kennedy said. "Of course you're always thinking, 'I wish I would have done this, I wish I would have run a little faster.' That mentally is what keeps an elite athlete going anyway."

Kennedy still owns the Ohio High School State Championship 1600 meter record with his time of 4:05.13 (1988). Kennedy earned the NCAA and U.S. cross country titles in 1992, becoming the first man to accomplish that feat since Al Lawrence did it 32 years earlier.

Kennedy also won 20 Big Ten titles at Indiana University, including four NCAA titles: two NCAA cross country crowns, the indoor mile title in 1991 and the 1500 meter NCAA outdoor title in 1990. Kennedy was a four-time USA 5000 meter champion in 1995-97 and 2001 and in a rare road appearance, he won the USA 10K title in 2003.

In 1996, he became the first non-African to run the 5000 meters in under 13 minutes and also finished 6th in the 5000 meters at the Atlanta Olympics which was the best finish in the 5000 since Steve Prefontaine was fourth in 1972. Ohioan Bob Schul was the last American to win the Olympic gold in the 5000 at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Kennedy also finished 12th in the 5000 meters at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and won his only international medal as part of the bronze medal U.S. team at the 2001 World Cross Country 12K Championships.

Bob has been ranked #1 in the U.S. eight times at 5000 meters by Track & Field News and was ranked the nation's best at 3000 meters seven years in a row (1993-1999).

Kennedy still holds two U.S. records: the 3000 meters, 7:30.84 (1998) and the 5000 meters, 12:58.21 (1996). His best mile time was 3:56.21 (1994). A measure of Kennedy's longevity is that he won the U.S. cross country titles in 1992 and in 2004. In this national championship, which was started in 1890, no athlete ever has won titles so many years apart.

During his career, Bob had a few disappoints in running. One came when he was injured in an auto collision before the 2000 Olympic Trials and was unable to make the team. In 2004, he was forced to drop out of the 10,000 meters in the Olympic Trials with an injured Achilles tendon and at the 2004 ING New York City Marathon, he did not finish.

Kennedy said he plans to devote more time to his business and family. He owns three athletic shoe stores (The Running Company) in Indianapolis, Fisher and Carmel, Indiana. He is also the co-chair of the local organizing committee for the USA Track & Field Championships, which will be held in Indianapolis in June 2007.

His wife Melina is running for Marion County prosecutor. Bob and Melina have twins (Marcus and Sophia) who turned one-year-old last week. Bob said he now runs for 35 minutes four days a week. He added, "I made a great living, traveled the world and met special people because I ran in circles quickly. And that's lucky."

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.runningusa.org.