Jim Spivey

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jim Spivey is a former American middle distance

He began running competitively as a sophomore over cross country on the track at Fenton High School in Bensenville, Illinois. He was runner-up at state cross country his junior and senior year. In Track and Field he was a state qualifier in the 2-mile his sophomore year, was runner-up in the two-mile his junior year and state champion in the half mile his senior year. He was also an all-american in cross country his senior year.

His greatest success came at the World Championships in Rome 1987 over 1500 m where he won a bronze medal . In 1992 Spivey won the US Olympic trials in New Orleans ahead of Steve Holman to qualify for the Olympic Games in Barcelona where he came eighth. Previously he had participated in the Olympics in 1984 (where he came fifth). Ironically, Spivey failed to qualify for the 1988 Summer Olympics (finishing fourth at the US trials in Indianapolis) in the same season in which he set his personal best over 1500 m (3:31.01, Koblenz). In 1996 Spivey competed in the Olympic 5000 m competition in Atlanta. He also currently holds the American record for the 2,000 meters.