Birthdate: April 6, 1969
Birthplace: Springfield, Mo.
Current Residence: Orem, Utah
Height: 5-8
Weight: 140
High School: Willard HS, Mo. '87
College: Brigham Young '93
Event: 1500 meters, mile
PRs: 1500m 3:35.21 (1996); Mile 3:55.14 (1996); 800 1:46.75 (1996)

Back to the Olympics

By finishing second in the 1500 meters at the 2000 Olympic Trials, Jason Pyrah qualified for his second consecutive Olympics. Pyrah was so excited about his performance that he was unable to sleep the night after the race. In 1996, Pyrah finished third at trials but was eliminated in the heats at the Olympics. Though he has never won a national title, Pyrah has been one of the most consistent American 1500-meter runners of the past decade, placing in the top three at nationals or the Olympic Trials five times in the 1990s. The last American to win an Olympic medal in the 1500 was Jim Ryun, who took the silver in 1968.

On a mission

A member or the LDS Church, Pyrah missed two years of running – from the fall of 1988 to July 1990 – to go to Bolivia on an LDS mission. He did not run once in the two years he was there, although he did play soccer occasionally with the natives. Pyrah says that although he missed two critical years in his athletic development, “there was never a question of doing it, my faith being so strong.”

Lost brother

One of eight children, Pyrah’s older brother Justin died in 1998. Justin was born with a tumor on his pancreas and had cerebral palsy; he was mentally and physically handicapped throughout his life. Pyrah feels blessed to have the physical gifts of a two-time Olympian, while his brother suffered with physical shortcomings. Pyrah says parents, Grant and Florence, experienced two extremes of emotion from 1996-1998: the thrill of seeing one of their sons become an Olympian and the agony of losing another. He dedicates every race to Justin’s memory.

College and coaching

Pyrah Graduated from Brigham Young University in 1995 with a degree in physical education and an emphasis on sports medicine. He continued to be coached by BYU head coach Sherald James until the fall of 1997, when he began consulting over the phone with Tom Craig, the coach and husband of two-time world silver medalist Regina Jacobs. In January 1999, he moved to the San Francisco Bay area to train with Craig’s group, but was lonely there and ended up having a miserable competitive season. He moved back to Utah in August 1999 but Craig continues to coach him by phone and by fax.

History

Career Highlights: 2000, 1997 U.S. Indoor mile champion; 1996-2000 Olympian; 2nd in 1500 at 1994, 1998 U.S. Outdoor nationals; 1997 world team member; 4th in 1500 at 1994 World Cup; 1995 Pan Am Games bronze medalist.

2000: Won USA Indoor mile (3:57.83); placed 2nd at Olympic Trials (3:36.70).

1999: 12th in 1500 heats at USA Outdoors (3:48.48)…bests of 3:48.48 in the 1500 and 4:01.45I in the mile.

1998: 2nd in USA Outdoors (3:38.77)…6th in USA Indoor mile (4:03.37)…ranked #6 in U.S. by T&FN…bests of 3:37.67 and 3:56.18.

1997: Won mile in USA Indoor (4:00.18)…3rd in USA Outdoors (3:46.94)…9th in heats of World Champs (3:40.17)…ranked #4 in U.S. at 1500 by T&FN… bests of 3:39.16 and 3:56.33.

1996: 3rd in 1500 at Olympic Trials…9th in heats at Olympic Games…ranked #3 in U.S. at 1500 by T&FN…bests of 3:35.21 and 3:55.14; 1:46.75 PR for 800.

1995: Bronze in Pan-Am Games 1500…9th in 1500 at USA Outdoors…11th in semis at World University Games…ranked #7 in U.S. at 1500 by T&FN…bests of 3:42.34 and 3:55.47; 1:48.39 for 800.

1994: 2nd in 1500 at USA Outdoors…won 1500 at Olympic Festival…4th in 1500 at World Cup…8th in NCAA Indoor mile (4:07.02)… ranked #5 in U.S. at 1500 by T&FN… best of 3:38.20; 1:46.83 for 800.

1993: 6th in NCAA Indoor mile (4:03.71)…2nd in WAC 1500, 3rd in 800…7th in heats of NCAA 1500…4th in 1500 heats at USA Outdoors…bests of 3:43.49 and 4:01.38; 1:49.62 for 800.

1992: 4th NCAA 1500…6th in 1500 heats at Olympic Trials …6th in mile heat at NCAA Indoor (4:05.72)…WAC Champion at 800 and 1500…bests of 3:39.22 and 4:00.46;1:48.04 for 800.

1991: Bests of 3:45; 1:48.52 for 800.

1989-90: Did not compete (LDS mission to Cochabamba, Bolivia).

1988: Best of 3:43.36.

1987: Won the 800, 1600, and 3200 at the Missouri HS state champs…won Golden West mile (4:04.25)…Bests of 3:45.5 and 4:04.25, also 1:51.25 for 800m and 9:07.48 for 3200.

1986: Missouri HS state champion in the 1600 and 3200…best of 4:05.08 for 1600m, also 9:09.59 for 3200m.

1985: Won Missouri HS state titles in the 1600 and 3200.

Meet Jason Pyrah