Mark Plaatjes
Encyclopedia
Mark Plaatjes was the marathon
champion at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics
in Stuttgart.
Born in South Africa under apartheid, Plaatjes won two national titles at the marathon and two at cross country http://www.gbrathletics.com/nc/rsa.htm. He ran a personal best marathon of 2:08:58 in 1985 in Port Elizabeth, but was unable to compete outside South Africa, barred from the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games
due to the international boycott of South Africa. He sought political asylum in the United States
in 1988, saying "I didn't want my daughter to grow up in a country where she felt inferior."http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-5487215_ITM
In 1991 Plaatjes won the Los Angeles Marathon
in 2:10:29.http://www.westword.com/Issues/2000-08-17/sports_1.html
In 1993, Plaatjes finished 6th in the Boston Marathon
, qualifying for the U.S. team at the World Championships.http://www.flashesofpanic.com/panic/001328.php On July 24, 1993, Plaatjes became a citizen of the U.S., just three weeks before the World Championships. Stuttgart was to be the greatest success of his career. The race had been led by Luketz Swartbooi from Namibia
for a very long time. At 40 km, Swartbooi still looked like the likely winner. But the Namibian slowed down in the very final stages and was overtaken by Plaatjes three minutes before he reached the finish line, in a time of 2:13:57.http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-5487215_ITM Plaatjes became the first American to win a gold medal in a long-distance event at World Championships.
Plaatjes has made his home in Boulder, Colorado, where he has a hand in several local businesses and coaches a local running club.
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...
champion at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics
1993 World Championships in Athletics
The 4th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Gottlieb Daimler Stadium, Stuttgart, Germany between August 13 and August 22 with the participation of 187 nations....
in Stuttgart.
Born in South Africa under apartheid, Plaatjes won two national titles at the marathon and two at cross country http://www.gbrathletics.com/nc/rsa.htm. He ran a personal best marathon of 2:08:58 in 1985 in Port Elizabeth, but was unable to compete outside South Africa, barred from the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
due to the international boycott of South Africa. He sought political asylum in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1988, saying "I didn't want my daughter to grow up in a country where she felt inferior."http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-5487215_ITM
In 1991 Plaatjes won 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...
in 2:10:29.http://www.westword.com/Issues/2000-08-17/sports_1.html
In 1993, Plaatjes finished 6th in the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
, qualifying for the U.S. team at the World Championships.http://www.flashesofpanic.com/panic/001328.php On July 24, 1993, Plaatjes became a citizen of the U.S., just three weeks before the World Championships. Stuttgart was to be the greatest success of his career. The race had been led by Luketz Swartbooi from Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
for a very long time. At 40 km, Swartbooi still looked like the likely winner. But the Namibian slowed down in the very final stages and was overtaken by Plaatjes three minutes before he reached the finish line, in a time of 2:13:57.http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-5487215_ITM Plaatjes became the first American to win a gold medal in a long-distance event at World Championships.
Plaatjes has made his home in Boulder, Colorado, where he has a hand in several local businesses and coaches a local running club.
Achievements
- All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise
Representing the 1993 World Championships 1993 World Championships in AthleticsThe 4th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Gottlieb Daimler Stadium, Stuttgart, Germany between August 13 and August 22 with the participation of 187 nations....Stuttgart, Germany 1st 2:13:57