Jürgen Straub is a former East German middle distance runner who specialized in the 1500 metres

1500 metres

The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...

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He won a silver medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics

1980 Summer Olympics

The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...

 over 1500 metres

1500 metres

The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...

 representing East Germany. In that race Straub surprisingly defeated Steve Ovett

Steve Ovett

Stephen Michael James "Steve" Ovett OBE , is a former middle distance runner from England. He was gold medalist in the 800 metres at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, U.S.S.R., and set world records for 1500 metres and the mile run...

 of the UK who came third. Straub also finished third at the 1977

1977 IAAF World Cup

The 1st IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event sponsored by the International Association of Athletics Federations, held on September 2–4, 1977, at the Rheinstadion in Düsseldorf, West Germany.-Men:|width="50"| ...

 and 1979 IAAF World Cup

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, Canada.-Men:|width="50"| ...

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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

Thomas Wessinghage was a German middle- and long-distance runner who won the 1982 European Championships' final over 5000 metres beating the British world-record holder David Moorcroft. Because he was already thirty at the time, and had been an international-level runner for a decade, this victory...

, Harald Hudak

Harald Hudak

Harald Hudak is a retired German middle distance runner who specialized in 1500 metres.He was one of the runners that set a world record of 14:38.8 minutes in the 4x1500 metres relay in 1977, together with Thomas Wessinghage, Michael Lederer, and Karl Fleschen...

, Jens-Peter Herold

Jens-Peter Herold

Jens-Peter Herold 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 he came sixth over 1500 metres...

, Dieter Baumann

Dieter Baumann

Dieter Baumann is a former German athlete and winner of 5000 m at the 1992 Summer Olympics.Born in Blaustein, Germany , Dieter Baumann was one of the few non-African athletes who were able to seriously challenge the African dominance of middle-distance running during the 1990s...

 and Rüdiger Stenzel

Rüdiger Stenzel

Rüdiger Stenzel is a former German middle distance runner who participated in several international championships in the 1990s....

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Straub was an excellent 3000 m steeplechaser as well, winning three East German national titles over that distance. He competed for the sports club ASK Vorwärts Potsdam during his active career.