Markus Ryffel
Encyclopedia
Markus Ryffel is a Swiss
long-distance runner who won the silver medal
at the 1984 Olympic
5000 metres
final in Los Angeles. He set the Swiss record at 13:07.54 min (see, for example, "The Great Olympic Book 4" / Suuri Olympiateos 4, published in Finland in 1984). He also won a silver medal at the 1978 European Championships in Athletics
, sharing it with the Soviet Union's Alexander Fedotkin; they both lost just one-tenth of a second to Italy's Venanzio Ortis (see, for example, "European Athletics Championships 1978" / Yleisurheilun EM-kisat 1978, written by the "Runner" / Juoksija magazine's journalists and published in Finland in 1978).
Between these two major championships medals, Ryffel had a rather varying success as a 5,000-metre runner. In the 1980 Moscow Olympics, he placed fifth in that distance, losing to the winner, Ethiopia's Miruts Yifter, by 2.1 seconds (see, for example, "The Moscow Olympic Book" / Moskovan Olympiakirja, written by the "Runner" / Juoksija magazine's journalists and published in Finland in 1980). He ran significantly worse in the 1982 European Athletics Championships in Athens and in the 1983 World Athletics Championships in Helsinki, Finland, placing only tenth and twelfth, respectively (see, for example, "The Great European Championships Book" / Suuri EM-kirja, published in Finland in 1990; "The World Athletics Championships 1983" / Yleisurheilun MM-kisat 1983, written by the "Runner" / Juoksija magazine's journalists and published in Finland in 1983).
Ryffel's final few years as a competitive runner, after the Los Angeles Olympics, were also rather undistinguished. He placed third
in a time of slightly over 14 minutes at 5,000 metres in the European Athletics Cup's B final in Budapest in 1985 (see various European countries' athletics statistics books for 1985 or their sports yearbooks for 1985). In the 1986 European Athletics Championships, he dropped out of the 5,000-metre final (see, for example, "The Great European Championships Book"). In his last major international championships, the 1987 World Athletics Championships, he placed well outside the top ten runners at 10,000 metres and was eliminated in the 5,000-metre qualifying heats (see, for example, "The World Athletics Championships 1987" / Yleisurheilun MM-kisat 1987).
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
long-distance runner who won the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the 1984 Olympic
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
5000 metres
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
final in Los Angeles. He set the Swiss record at 13:07.54 min (see, for example, "The Great Olympic Book 4" / Suuri Olympiateos 4, published in Finland in 1984). He also won a silver medal at the 1978 European Championships in Athletics
1978 European Championships in Athletics
The 12th European Athletics Championships were held from 29 August to 3 September 1978 in Prague, the capital city of Czechoslovakia.-Track:1971 |1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |-Field:1971 |1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |-Track:1971 |1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |...
, sharing it with the Soviet Union's Alexander Fedotkin; they both lost just one-tenth of a second to Italy's Venanzio Ortis (see, for example, "European Athletics Championships 1978" / Yleisurheilun EM-kisat 1978, written by the "Runner" / Juoksija magazine's journalists and published in Finland in 1978).
Between these two major championships medals, Ryffel had a rather varying success as a 5,000-metre runner. In the 1980 Moscow Olympics, he placed fifth in that distance, losing to the winner, Ethiopia's Miruts Yifter, by 2.1 seconds (see, for example, "The Moscow Olympic Book" / Moskovan Olympiakirja, written by the "Runner" / Juoksija magazine's journalists and published in Finland in 1980). He ran significantly worse in the 1982 European Athletics Championships in Athens and in the 1983 World Athletics Championships in Helsinki, Finland, placing only tenth and twelfth, respectively (see, for example, "The Great European Championships Book" / Suuri EM-kirja, published in Finland in 1990; "The World Athletics Championships 1983" / Yleisurheilun MM-kisat 1983, written by the "Runner" / Juoksija magazine's journalists and published in Finland in 1983).
Ryffel's final few years as a competitive runner, after the Los Angeles Olympics, were also rather undistinguished. He placed third
in a time of slightly over 14 minutes at 5,000 metres in the European Athletics Cup's B final in Budapest in 1985 (see various European countries' athletics statistics books for 1985 or their sports yearbooks for 1985). In the 1986 European Athletics Championships, he dropped out of the 5,000-metre final (see, for example, "The Great European Championships Book"). In his last major international championships, the 1987 World Athletics Championships, he placed well outside the top ten runners at 10,000 metres and was eliminated in the 5,000-metre qualifying heats (see, for example, "The World Athletics Championships 1987" / Yleisurheilun MM-kisat 1987).