Silvia Ruegger
Personal information
Full nameSilvia Rosemarie Ruegger
NationalityCanadian
Born(1961-02-23)February 23, 1961
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
DiedAugust 23, 2019(2019-08-23) (aged 58)
Sport
SportLong-distance running

Silvia Ruegger (February 23, 1961 – August 23, 2019) was a long-distance runner from Canada, who represented her native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. She finished in eighth place in the women's marathon.[1] She came first in the 1985 Houston Marathon in 2:28:36.[2] She was born in Oshawa, Ontario, and grew up just south of the village of Newtonville, Ontario.[3] She died in August 2019, at the age of 58.[4]

Biography

Ruegger was born in Oshawa, Ontario in February 1961.[1] She was inspired to run after watching the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal,[5] and set herself a goal to compete at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.[1] However, Canada was one of the many nations to boycott the games.[6]

At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Ruegger competed in the women's marathon,[7] where she finished in eighth place,[8] setting a new national record in the process.[1] The following year, she won the 1985 Houston Marathon, setting another national record,[9] one that would stand for 28 years.[10] However, two weeks later, Ruegger was involved in a car accident.[11] Despite this, her career lasted another eleven years, which included winning the 1987 Pittsburgh Marathon.[1] She retired from long-distance running just before the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.[1]

After her running career, Reugger set up a national programme, called Start2Finish, to help at-risk young people.[1] In 2017, she was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.[12] She died two years later,[13] at the age of 58.[14]

Achievements

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing  Canada
1984 National Capital Marathon Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 1st Marathon 2:30:37
Olympic Games Los Angeles, United States 8th Marathon 2:29:09
1985 Houston Marathon Houston, United States 1st Marathon 2:28:36
1987 Pittsburgh Marathon Pittsburgh, United States 1st Marathon 2:31:53

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Silvia Ruegger". Olympedia. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Sylvia Ruegger, former Canadian marathon record holder, dead at 58". Beyond the Dash. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Silvia Ruegger Left her mark on Canadian Women's sport". Orono Weekly Times. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Silvia Ruegger dies at age 58". Canadian Running. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Running trailblazer: Remembering Silvia Ruegger". Press Reader. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  6. ↑ Smothers, Ronald (July 19, 1996). "Bitterness Lingering Over Carter's Boycott". The New York Times. Vol. 145, no. 50493.
  7. ↑ "Silvia Ruegger". Press Reader. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Marathon, Women". Olympedia. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Silvia Ruegger, Canadian Marathon Icon, Dies at Age 58". Athletics Ontario. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Runner set a Canadian record that stood for 28 years". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Silvia Ruegger dies from cancer at 58". Run the North. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Pioneering Olympian Silvia Ruegger faces cancer with grace, running and an unrelenting faith". Solas. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Silvia Rosemarie Ruegger". Northcutt Elliott. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Gryphon Hall of Fame Runner Silvia Ruegger Passes Away". Gryphons. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
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