Jos Hermens

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Jos Hermens
Jos Hermens 1975.jpg
Hermens in 1975
Personal information
NationalityDutch
Born8 January 1950
Nijmegen, Netherlands
Height179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight67 kg (148 lb)
Sport
Sport Athletics
Eventlong distance
ClubKNAU
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing Europe (orthographic projection).svg Europe
IAAF World Cup
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1977 Düsseldorf 10,000 metres

Josephus Maria Melchior Hermens (born 8 January 1950) is a former Dutch long-distance runner. Subsequently, he also became well known for his later career as a sports manager as the founder and CEO of Global Sports Communication, which manages many Olympian athletes.

Contents

Running career

Hermens is a three-time national champion in the men's 5,000 metres, and collected his first title on 14 July 1973 in The Hague. [1] He was named Dutch Sportsman of the Year in 1975. He was a 10,000 metres finalist at the 1976 Summer Olympics and set the world record for the hour run the same year. [2]

Hermens twice improved the world hour record, on the Papendal track. In September 1975, with Gerard Tebroke as a pacemaker, he ran 20,907 meters. In May 1976, without a pacemaker, he ran an additional 37 meters. This record held until 1991.

Hermens had withdrawn from the 1972 Olympic Games following the Munich massacre. "It's quite simple," he said. "We were invited to a party, and if someone comes to the party and shoots people, how can you stay?" [3]

Hermens finished third behind Dave Bedford in the 10,000 metres event at the 1972 AAA Championships [4] and second behind Brendan Foster in the 5,000 metres at the 1974 AAA Championships. [5] [6]

Sports management career

After his athletic career was cut short by injuries, Hermens worked for Nike, leaving it in 1985 to start his management company, Global Sports Communications. Hermens' company manages in excess of 100 athletes; his current and former clients include Haile Gebrselassie, Eliud Kipchoge, Kenenisa Bekele, Gabriela Szabo, Nils Schumann, [2] and Hezekiél Sepeng. [7]

References

  1. "ARRS website".
  2. 1 2 Gains, Paul (2005). "Jos Hermens: The Athlete's Agent". Running Times Magazine. Archived from the original on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2007.
  3. Butcher, Pat (12 August 2002), "ATHLETICS: In Munich, Israelis honor '72 victims", The New York Times , retrieved 11 October 2012
  4. "AAA Championships full results" . Birmingham Weekly Mercury. 16 July 1972. Retrieved 27 May 2025 via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  6. "AAA Championships (men)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  7. Focus on Athletes - Hezekiel Sepeng. IAAF (2004-09-14), retrieved 2011-11-21.
Awards
Preceded by Herman van Leeuwen Cup
1972
1974, 1975
Succeeded by
Preceded bySucceeded by
Preceded by Dutch Sportsman of the Year
1975
Succeeded by