1. David Wesley Santee was an American middle distance runner and athlete who competed mainly in the 1,500 meters and mile events.
12 Facts About Wes Santee
1. 2.
Wes Santee later attended the University of Kansas where he set records in cross country and the mile and two-mile events.
3.
Wes Santee was the Individual NCAA Cross Country Champion in 1953, while leading his team to the overall championship.
4.
Wes Santee competed in the 5,000 meters in the 1952 Summer Olympics at Helsinki, Finland, but did not win a medal.
5.
Three years later, Wes Santee won the silver medal in the 1,500 meters at the 1955 Pan American Games in Mexico City.
6.
In June 1954, Wes Santee set the a world 1,500-meter record of 3:42.8 on his way to a crushing mile win over Olympic champion Josy Barthel, but after sprinting past Barthel he slowed slightly, finishing the mile at 4:00.7.
7.
In early 1955, Wes Santee came close to a four-minute mile of his own, with a time of 4:00.5, but he would never surpass this time.
8.
Shortly afterwards, Wes Santee was suspended by the Amateur Athletic Union in a dispute over his amateur status.
9.
For three track meets over a nine-day period in May 1955, Wes Santee had been paid $1,127.85 of expenses.
10.
In 1956, Wes Santee was permanently barred from amateur events, ending his chance to surpass Bannister and Landy and costing him a place in the 1956 Summer Olympics at Melbourne, Australia.
11.
Wes Santee had previously been banned from competing internationally because of early questions surrounding his status as an amateur.
12.
Wes Santee died of cancer at home in Eureka, Kansas on November 14,2010.