World Championship in the Same Stadium. in the Final Race Against

World Championship in the same 53.76 m in the qualification round Muruse Yefter (ETH), *15 May 1944 stadium. In the final race against was not enough to reach the final. in Awsaja, Province of Tigre; †23 each other, Andersen fell and van From 1977 to 1979, she was married December 2016 in Toronto, Ontario/ der Voort crossed the line first. But to the Bulgarian discus thrower Velko CAN. Although only 1.61 metres tall, he agreed to skate again and this Velev. She subsequently worked Yefter was a very great runner. Called time Andersen prevailed. The Dutch as a coach and looked after the up to the air force to Addis Abeba, he coach and national federation were Olympic shot put champions Natalya met his sporting hero Abebe Bikila, unsuccessful in their appeal against Lisovskaya (1988) and Svetlana who was preparing for his third the organisers’ decision. (BvH) Krivelyova (1992). After studying Olympic Games in 1968. medicine in the 1980s in Moscow she Yefter first drew attention to also worked as a doctor. (VK) himself in an USA vs. Africa match in North Carolina. He won over Heinz Ulzheimer (FRG), *27 10,000 metres. At the 1972 Olympics December 1925 in Frankfurt-Höchst; in Munich he took bronze over the †18 December 2016 in Bad Sooden- same distance behind the Finn Allendorf. Rudolf Harbig, who on 12th Lasse Viren and Belgian Emiel August 1939 had run a world record Puttemans. He might well have over 400 m in 46.6 sec, thereafter could have been successful also over visited Ulzheimer's school in Höchst, 5000 metres, but he arrived too late where he distributed signed cards. for his heat. An overzealous steward From then on he was Ulzheimer's had prevented him from entering to hero, who began serious sport in the stadium. Faina Melnik (URS), *9 June 1945 1944 – in that year, Harbig died on Yefter missed the 1976 Olympic in Bakota, Khmelnytskyi Oblast/ the Eastern Front. Games, when Ethiopia were one UKR; †16 December 2016 in Moscow. Ulzheimer had to wait a long time of 15 black African NOCs to boycott A farmer’s daughter, she took up before he could prove his running the Games. The following year he athletics during her studies at the talent. The Germans were excluded achieved the 5000 m/10,000 m Institute of Physical Culture in Kiev. from the 1948 Games. When they double at the inaugural IAAF World From 1968 she lived in Erevan, were permitted to start in 1952, the Cup and repeated his success in Armenia, where she was coached almost 27 year old suspected that 1979. The same year he also won by Kim Bukhantsev, himself an these would be his only Games. And 5000 and 10,000 m at the Soviet Olympian in discus from 1956 to he knew how to take advantage of Spartakiade. The following year 1964. In 1971 after four invalid throws his chance: in the 800 m he came he returned to Moscow for the she produced a world record 64.22 third in a personal best (1:49.7 min) Olympics. m in the last round to take European behind Malvin Whitfield (USA) and By now 36 and a captain in the Championship gold. Arthur Wint (JAM). After the Second army, he celebrated his greatest Melnik set ten more world marks, World War this was the first German triumph with gold over 5000 and finally extending the record to Olympic medal at Summer Games. 10,000 m. His dream of ending his 70.50 m (1976). Her sequence as The Frankfurt car mechanic, who career in 1984 with an Olympic world record holder was only briefly secured a second Olympic bronze in marathon victory remaind un ful- interrupted by the Romanian Helsinki in the 4x400 m relay, was filled. Ethiopia boycotted Los Angeles Argentina Menis who threw 67.22 m subsequently invited to the indoor and also stayed away from the 1988 thirteen days after finishing second season in the USA. There he was the Games in Seoul. to Melnik at the Munich Olympics . first foreigner to win over 1000 yards The father of seven children, he Melnik was undefeated in in Madison Square Garden. With a moved to Canada in 1990 to work competition for a three year period. further bronze in the 4x400 m relay as a coach. He had always been She defended her European title at the 1954 European Championships known throughout the Western in 1974 but was unexpectedly ended his sporting career. world as “Miruts Yifter” and nick- beaten into fourth place at the 1976 He did his examination as motor named “Yifter the Shifter” because Olympics. In the fifth round she vehicle service technician and of his finishing speed. In fact he did achieve 68.60 m, which would opened a petrol station. In his last 15 confirmed to the author in a long have been enough for silver, but the years of employment he looked after interview that the correct spelling throw was disallowed because she the Frankfurt Sports Museum, which should be Muruse Yefter. His had started her turn twice contrary was closed when the stadium was handwritten confirmation is in the to the rules. At the 1980 Games her rebuilt. (VK) archive. (VK) JOH 1 | 2017 Obituaries 73.

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