Emiel Adrien "Miel" Puttemans is a Belgian former middle- and long-distance runner who set world records for 3000 metres in 1972, for 2 miles in 1971, for 5000 metres in 1972, and 3 miles in 1972 (12:47.8). He won two European Indoor Championships titles in the 3000 m, in 1973 and 1974, and finished second in 1978.
Lasse Artturi Virén is a Finnish former long-distance runner, winner of four gold medals at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics. Virén recaptured the image of the "Flying Finns" promoted by runners like Hannes Kolehmainen, Paavo Nurmi and Ville Ritola in the 1920s. He was elected Finnish Sportsman of the Year in 1972 and 1976 and later became a politician and a member of Finland's parliament in 1999–2007 and 2010–2011.
Frank Charles Shorter is an American former long-distance runner who won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics and the silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics. His Olympic success, along with the achievements of other American runners, is credited with igniting the running boom in the United States during the 1970s.
Carlos Alberto de Sousa Lopes is a Portuguese former long-distance runner and world-record holder in the marathon. He won the marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, becoming Portugal's first Olympic gold medalist, the oldest ever Olympic marathon winner at the age of 37, and setting an Olympic record for the event which stood for 24 years. On 20 April 1985, Lopes set the men's marathon world record at 2:07:12 at the Rotterdam Marathon. At club level, he competed for Sporting CP.
Suleiman Nyambui is a former track athlete from Tanzania who specialized in various long-distance disciplines. Nyambui won the bronze medal at the 1978 All-Africa Games, the silver medal in 5000 metres at the 1980 Summer Olympics, and finished first at three consecutive marathons between 1987 and 1988. He holds multiple indoor national records of Tanzania in athletics.
Chile competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States. The nation returned to the Summer Games after participating in the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics. 52 competitors, 50 men and 2 women, took part in 25 events in 8 sports.
Djibouti took part in the 1988 Summer Olympics which were held in Seoul, South Korea from September 17 to October 2. The country's participation marked its second appearance in the Summer Olympics since its debut at the 1984 Summer games in Los Angeles, United States. The delegation from Djibouti included six athletes, five in athletics and one in sailing. The five athletes for athletics were Hoche Yaya Aden, Ismael Hassan, Talal Omar Abdillahi, Hussein Ahmed Salah, and Omar Moussa while Robleh Ali Adou represented the nation in sailing. Ahmed Salah won the nation's first Olympic medal, which is a bronze at the Men's Marathon event.
Chile competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Seven competitors, all men, took part in eight events in four sports.
Chile competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. Eleven competitors, nine men and two women, took part in nine events in five sports.
Érika Alejandra Olivera de la Fuente is a female marathon runner from Chile and deputy for the Democrats party.
Djibouti first participated at the Olympic Games in 1984, and have competed in every Summer Olympic Games, apart from the 2004 edition, since then. They have never competed in the Winter Olympic Games.
Bayron Efrén Piedra Avilés is an Ecuadorian middle distance and long-distance runner.
Juan Luis Barrios Nieves is a Mexican runner. He competed in the 5000 m at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and finished seventh-eighth. He placed 14th in the same event at the 2007 and came 18th in the 10,000 metres at the 2009 World Championships.
Luis Ceferino Hernández Morales is a retired long-distance runner from Mexico. He claimed the gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games in the Men's 10,000 metres, and represented his native country the following year at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montréal, Canada.
Peter Michael Manley is a retired middle and long-distance runner from the United States. He won the gold medal twice in the men's 3.000 metres steeplechase event at the Pan American Games 1971 and 1975.
Anthony 'Tony' Derrick Simmons is a male former athlete.
Gordon Edmund McKenzie was an American athlete who competed in the 10,000 meters at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia and the marathon at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. McKenzie, running 2:28:18, finished second to Paavo Kotila in the 1960 Boston Marathon, an Olympic trials race. In 1961, he finished fourth at Boston, in 2:25:46.
Dieudonné LaMothe is a Haitian long-distance runner, the first sportsperson from his country to take part in four Olympic Games.
Gerardo Agustín Alcalá García is a Mexican former long-distance runner.
Kriscia Lorena García Blanco is a Salvadoran long-distance runner.She competed in the women's marathon at the 1988 Summer Olympics. She finished seventh in the 1500 metres at the 1987 Pan American Games.
Chile 
