Henry Marsh (athlete)

Henry Dinwoodey Marsh (born March 15, 1954 in Boston, Massachusetts) is a retired runner from the United States, who made four U.S. Olympic teams and represented his native country in the men's 3,000 meter Steeplechase in three Summer Olympics, from 1976 through 1988.

Biography

Track & Field News ranked him the number one steeplechaser in the world for 1981, 1982, and 1985. Moreover, he was world ranked (i.e., top 10) in this event for 12 consecutive years, 1977-1988. Marsh broke the American Record for the steeplechase on four different occasions: 8:21.55 (July 5, 1977), 8:15.68 (June 28, 1980), 8:12.37 (August 17, 1983), and 8:09.17 (August 28, 1985); the last mark lasted almost 21 years until Daniel Lincoln ran 8:08.82 in Rome on July 14, 2006.^[1][2]

During the 1984 Olympic Games, Marsh entered the event with a #2 world ranking. On race day for the 3,000 meter steeplechase finals, Marsh finished fourth (losing out on the bronze medal to teammate Brian Diemer by only 0.19 seconds), then collapsed to the track and was carried out of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on a gurney.

In 1985 Marsh joined the sub-4 minute group of milers with a 3:59.31 run at Bern, Switzerland on August 16.

Marsh was the American champion in the steeplechase nine times (1978, 1979, 1981–1987) and in 1983 received the Glenn Cunningham Award as the best distance runner in America.^[3][4]

Marsh is a co-founder of MonaVie, a multi-level marketing (MLM) company, serving as executive vice-president and later as the company's Vice Chairman of the Board. He is also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.^[5] He spent two years on mission in Brazil.^[6] In a 2008, the Sacramento Bee noted that Marsh was a major financial supporter (two donations totalling $90,000) of Proposition 8, a California ballot initiative to eliminate same-sex marriage rights.^[7]

Achievements

All results regarding 3000 metres steeplechase.

• 9-time US Champion 1978-1979, 1981-1987 (2nd in 1980)
• 2-time US Olympic Trials winner 1980 & 1984 (2nd in 1976 & 1988)

Representing  United States
Year	Tournament	Venue	Result	Time
1976	Olympic Games	Montreal, Quebec, Canada	10th	8:23.99
1979	Pan American Games	San Juan, Puerto Rico	1st	8:43.6
	World Cup	Montreal, Canada	4th	8:30.09
1981	World Cup	Rome, Italy	DISQ	(8:19.61)
1983	World Championships	Helsinki, Finland	8th	8:20.45
1984	Olympic Games	Los Angeles, California, United States	4th	8:14.25
1985	World Cup	Canberra, Australia	2nd	8:39.55
1986	Goodwill Games	Moscow, Russia	2nd	8:23.92
1987	Pan American Games	Indianapolis, United States	2nd	8:23.77
	World Championships	Rome, Italy	6th	8:17.78
1988	Olympic Games	Seoul, South Korea	6th	8:14.39

Notes:

• Marsh originally won the 1981 World Cup title but was disqualified for failing to clear the pneultimate water jump.
• The US Olympic trials of 1976-1988, were a separate event from the US Championships.

References

5. Mormon Olympians
7. "Biggest supporters of Prop 8". Sacramento Bee. November 13, 2008. Retrieved August 7, 2009.

External links

• 1983 Year Ranking