About Emiel Puttemans
Emiel Adrien "Miel" Puttemans (born 8 October 1947) is a Belgian former middle- and long-distance runner who set world records for 3000 metres (7 minutes 37.6 seconds) in 1972, for 2 miles (8 minutes 17.8 seconds) in 1971, for 5000 metres (13 minutes 13 seconds) in 1972, and 3 miles in 1972 (12:47.8). He won two European Indoor Championships titles in the 3000 m, in 1973 and 1974, and finished second in 1978. At the 1972 Summer Olympics, Puttemans won a silver medal in the 10,000 metres and finished in fifth place in the 5000 metres. He then set a world record in the 5000 metres six days after the 1972 games. He also competed in these events at the 1968, 1976 and 1980 Games, but with less success. In 1982, Puttemans won the first edition of the Rome Marathon.
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