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William Solon Dellinger (March 23, 1934 – June 27, 2025) was an American middle-distance runner and coach. He competed in the 5,000 m at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics and won a bronze medal in 1964, setting his personal record. Bill Dellinger . sports-reference.com He lettered in track at the University of Oregon in 1954, 1955, and 1956.
Dellinger was instrumental in the development and coaching of Oregon and American great distance star Steve Prefontaine in conjunction with Bowerman, and their experience was made into a 1997 film Prefontaine, in which Bill Dellinger was played by Ed O'Neill.
In Co-Operation with Adidas, Dellinger developed the so-called "Dellinger Web", a Cushioning Technology used on various Shoes throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.
Dellinger also coached many post-collegians including Olympians Mary Decker, Bill McChesney, Alberto Salazar, Matt Centrowitz, Don Clary, and many others.
From his retirement on, he stayed out of the track and field world except for a few appearances at meets named in his honor.
In 2021, USA Track and Field awarded Dellinger their Legend Coach Award.
Dellinger was inducted into the USTFCCCA Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame in 2024.
After retiring from coaching
Dellinger retired from the University of Oregon in 1998 and would later join his mentor, Bill Bowerman, as an inductee in the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2001. He retired after he had a stroke in 2000.
Death
Dellinger died on June 27, 2025 at a care facility in Eugene, Oregon from cancer at the age of 91.
Records
Records set by Dellinger: Duck Record Holders . goducks.com
See also
External links
Categories: 1934 Births, 2025 Deaths, American Men Middle-distance Runners, Athletes At The 1956 Summer Olympics, Athletes At The 1959 Pan American Games, Athletes At The 1960 Summer Olympics, Athletes At The 1964 Summer Olympics, Oregon Ducks Men's Track And Field Athletes, Oregon Ducks Track And Field Coaches, American Track And Field Coaches, Sportspeople From Grants Pass, Oregon, Medalists At The 1964 Summer Olympics, Track And Field Athletes From Oregon, Medalists At The 1959 Pan American Games, Ncaa Division I Outdoor Track And Field Championships Winners, 20th-century American Sportsmen, Deaths From Cancer In Oregon
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