A Flashback to Munich Photo Courtesy of Dave Wottle
Following the Munich Olympics he ran as a professional middle distance runner for two seasons before turning his attention to his current career ahead of the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. While his days of competing are long gone he has stayed involved in track and field over the years through his children.
Each of the couple’s three kids – two boys and one girl – were very involved in running growing up.
“They all had very good high school careers,” Wottle said of his children. “It’s fun being a parent. It kept my foot in the sport and gave me something to cheer about.”
FROM EMBARRASSMENT TO GOLD IN 1:45.86
Through the first 400 meters of his Munich Olympic final, few would have wagered money that in 40 years Wottle would be remembered as the Olympic champion. Staying out of trouble and avoiding a fast early pace, Wottle stayed well behind the field and appeared too far back to even remain in contention. Wottle later said he felt embarrassed to be so far behind.
“After 200 meters I just wanted to make it look respectable,” Wottle recalled.
DAVE WOTTLE
Wottle has spent much of the past 40 years speaking about the one minute, 45.86 seconds it took him to win Olympic gold in Munich. For these reasons it doesn’t feel that long ago for him.
“Since I have had so many opportunities to talk about the Olympic Games it doesn’t seem like that long ago,” Wottle said. “I can’t believe it was me running in that race. I haven’t run much since then. I have a hard time believing I ever could have run that fast.”
Wottle continues to get exercise through playing basketball, but as mentioned he no longer spends much time running. During his prime he viewed all of the miles that he logged and workouts he did as a necessary evil on his route to the gold medal.
He transitioned from professional athlete to his job as Special Assistant to the President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Emeritus with Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., 29 years ago. He lives in Memphis with his wife Jan where they have raised three kids.
But just as he celebrates the anniversary of the Munich Games, Wottle begins another transition in his life after recently announcing his retirement from his full-time position with Rhodes. He will remain working with Rhodes College in a limited capacity.
Wottle received his degree from Bowling Green State University. Wottle indeed proved Bowerman wrong. 8
But with 300 meters remaining Wottle began moving up the backstretch, picking up ground at a frantic pace. He had moved all the way up to third with 100 meters to go. However, some of the best distance runners in the world stood between him and the gold medal, which included Evgeni Arzhanov of the USSR. Picking up ground until the last possible moment, Wottle crossed the finish line as Arzhanov dove in a desperate attempt to hold onto the gold medal. But Wottle, clad in his purple baseball cap for the logical reason of shade and keeping the hair from his eyes, raised his arms in victory.
Wottle’s path to Olympic champion faced many challenges.
At 22 years old few people expected him to contend in the Olympic final even though he had recently tied the world record at the Olympic Trials in 1:44.3. His conditioning wasn’t where he wanted it to be due to tendinitis and being hampered with a stress fracture through most of the 1971 season. It was another reason he avoided the early frantic pace in Munich.
Wottle also had married Jan a few weeks before competition against the advice of Team USA Olympic head coach Bill Bowerman, who suggested he postpone the wedding to concentrate on his training and preparation.
“One of the main history line items for me was Bill Bowerman,” Wottle said, who also competed in the 1,500m in Munich, but failed to make the final. “I was scheduled to get married and his strong recommendation was to postpone the wedding. But I wasn’t going to tell my wife that. I wanted to show coach Bowerman and prove him wrong.”