Origins & Early Life

Mary Teresa Decker, (born August 4, 1958) is an American retired middle-distance and long-distance runner. During her career, she won gold medals in the 1500 meters and 3000 meters at the 1983 World Championships and was the world-record holder in the mile, 5000 meters and 10,000 meters. In total, she set 17 official and unofficial world records, and she was the first woman to break 4:20 for the mile. She also set 36 U.S.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

national records at distances ranging from 800 meters to 10,000 meters, and has held the U.S. record in the 2000 meters and 3000 meters since the early 1980s, while her 1500 meters record stood for 32 years and her mile record stood for 38 years. In 2003, she was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. She was retroactively banned for two years from June 1996 for a doping violation for a high testosterone to epitestosterone ratio. In 1973, she set her first world record, running an indoor mile in 4:40.1.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

By 1974, Decker was the world indoor record holder with 2:02.4 for 880 yards, and 2:01.8 for 800 meters. By the end of 1974, Decker had developed a case of the muscle condition compartment syndrome. This resulted in a series of injuries...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alec Baldwin — Contemporary (Born in 1958) (1958): Versatile American actor known for dramatic depth and comedic timing.
• Andie MacDowell — Contemporary (Born in 1958) (1958): Acclaimed American actress and model known for romantic and dramatic roles.
• Andre Geim — Contemporary (Born in 1958) (1958): Pioneering physicist known for groundbreaking work on graphene and Nobel laureate.
• Abigail Spencer — Shared historical date (08-04 · Born) (1981): American actress, producer, and writer known for roles in soap operas and dramas.
• Alan Mulally — Shared historical date (08-04 · Born) (1945): Aerospace executive credited with revitalizing Boeing and saving Ford Motor Company.
• Angela Bassett — Historical peer (Born in 1958) (1958): Esteemed American actress celebrated for powerful roles in film and television.
• Annette Bening — Historical peer (Born in 1958) (1958): Versatile American actress celebrated for her dynamic stage and screen performances.
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• Bartolomeu Dias — Historical peer (Died in 1500) (1500): Portuguese explorer who rounded the southern tip of Africa in 1488.
• Alfred Tarski — Historical peer (Died in 1983) (1983): Pioneering logician known for model theory and the formal concept of truth.
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