Matthew CENTROWITZ

Matt Centrowitz was the 5K champion at the 1979 Pan American Games and also won that event four times running at the TAC Meet – 1979-82. He competed for the United States in the 5K at both the 1979 and 1981 World Cup meets. Centrowitz started at Manhattan College but transferred to the University of Oregon. In 1977 he helped Oregon win the NCAA cross-country championship.

Centrowitz later became a track coach, starting as an assistant at St. John’s University. He later coached the Reebok Enclave club team, and in 1999 became the head coach at American University. Centrowitz was inducted into the University of Oregon Hall of Fame. His son, Matt, Jr., competed in the 1,500 metres at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, and in Rio became the first US runner in 108 years to win gold in the 1,500.

Personal Bests: 1500 – 3:36.70 (1976); Mile – 3:59.2 (1975); 2 miles – 8:26.82 (1979); 5000 – 13:10.91 (1982); 10000 – 28:32.7 (1983).