Bill Dellinger

Bill Dellinger (right) at the 1964 Olympics

Personal information

Full name

William Solon Dellinger

Born

March 23, 1934 (age 83)
Grants Pass, Oregon, United States

Sport

Track and Field

Event(s)

1500 m, 5000 m

Club

Oregon Track Club

Team

University of Oregon

Coached by

Bill Bowerman

Achievements and titles

Personal best(s)

1500 m – 3:41.5 (1958)
1 mile – 4:02.7 (1961)
2 miles – 8:43.8 (1961)
5000 m – 13:49.8 (1964)

Medal record

Representing the United States
Olympic Games
	1964 Tokyo	5000 m
Pan American Games
	1959 Chicago	5000 m

William "Bill" Solon Dellinger (born March 23, 1934) is a retired American middle-distance runner. He competed in the 5,000 m at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics and won a bronze medal in 1964, setting his personal record. He lettered in track at the University of Oregon in 1954, 1955, and 1956.

Upon retirement from competition, Dellinger took a position as the assistant coach to Bill Bowerman for the Oregon Ducks track and field team. After Bowerman's retirement in 1972, he took a job as head coach. In his 25 years of coaching, Dellinger's men won five NCAA titles, achieved 108 All American honors, and had a 134-29 meet record.

He was instrumental in the development and coaching of Oregon and American great distance star Steve Prefontaine in conjunction with Bowerman, and their experience was made into a 1997 film Prefontaine, in which Bill Dellinger was played by Ed O'Neill.

Dellinger also coached many post-collegians including Olympians Mary Decker, Alberto Salazar, Matt Centrowitz, Don Clary, and many others.

Dellinger retired from the University of Oregon in 1998 and would later join his mentor, Bill Bowerman, as an inductee in the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2001.

Since retirement, he has stayed out of the Track and Field world, except for a few appearances at meets named in his honor.

Records set by Dellinger:

...
Wikipedia