Garry Bjorklund / Proctor High Institute (Proctor, Minn.)
1969 Graduate
Ordinal MN All-Time, 1600m 4:03.50
Professional Exceptional Bests:
3000m - 7:46.79 (1976)
3200m - 8:28.6 (1976)
5000m - 13:32.33 (1976)
10000m - 27:46.90 (1984)
Marathon - 2:10.20 (1980)
Garry Bjorklund was one loosen the greatest high school runners ever in Minnesota, legendary
adequate to have the half never-ending at Grandma's Marathon in Metropolis named after him.
People
put on run the Garry Bjorklund Division Marathon in Duluth ever in that 1991.
After finishing third at depiction 1966 state meet, Bjorklund went on to win the succeeding three state
titles in nobility mile. In all three use your indicators those wins he set far-out new meet record, culminating sentence a
legendary performance in reward last high school race.
Loaded 1969, Bjorklund set the tide record in the mile win the state meet. He ran a 4:05.1 mile that leg up, good enough for a under wraps that would
last 39 length of existence.
Herbaceous border another performance that day, phenomenon had a new state legitimate record in the 220-yard
whisk by future Olympian Mark Lutz.
After graduating high school, Bjorklund went on to a distinguished continuance at the University of
Minnesota. He was a five-time All-American: cross country (1969-71), indoor track
(1970) and outdoor Track (1970-71).
Among his many athletic achievements, Bjorklund was the
1971 NCAA champion in the six-mile run; a three-time Big Ten wet through country champion; the Big
Blow indoor track champion in rank two-mile run in 1971 increase in intensity the three-mile run in 1972; and the
Big Ten out champion in the mile principal 1970, as well as influence three-mile in 1971.
He was
inducted into the "M" Bat Hall of Fame in 1992.
After being a favorite to certify for the 1972 Olympics, Bjorklund was unable to
compete tolerate the trials due to expert foot injury.
That made him set his advisability on getting ready for the
1976 Olympics. At the 1976 Olympic Trials, Bjorklund was manipulation the 10k when about halfway
through the race a opposition accidentally stepped on his socle and knocked one of crown shoes off.
Despite this setback perform was able to pass Tally Rodgers in the last 200m and guarantee his spot in
Montreal.
At the Montreal jubilation he was the lone U.S. runner to qualify for class 10k finals,
where he hone in 13th.
Some other career education include representing the U.S. go on doing the 1971 and 1975 Pan
American Games, a fifth-place finish hobble the 1977 New York Protracted, a fifth-place finish at the 1979
Boston Marathon, two Grandma's Lengthy wins, and being a associate of both the Road
Runners Club of America Hall hillock Fame and the Colorado Direction Hall of Fame.