Marty Krulee (born November 4, 1956), is an American "World Class" Track and Field athlete, primarily known for running sprint races. While never achieving outstanding results, he is best known for an extended career in International competition. While the

100 metres The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been conteste ...

was his primary outdoor event, decades after his elite career he still ranks on the world list at

200 metres The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightl ...

. Krulee ran extensively in Europe during the annual track circuit, achieving the

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

national championship in the 100 metres three years in a row, when he was already in his 30s. He also won the 200 metres and indoor 60 metres twice each. Krulee was born in Framingham, Massachusetts, but was brought up in San Jose, California, where he attended

Branham High School Branham High School is a secondary school in San Jose, California, located in the Cambrian neighborhood within the West San Jose region. It opened on September 13, 1967, under the Campbell Union High School District (CUHSD) and closed in 1991. The ...

and West Valley College in Saratoga, California. As a young athlete, he was constantly overshadowed by another contemporary area athlete, Millard Hampton who went on to win a Silver Medal in the 200 metres and Gold Medal in the 4x100 metre relay in the

1976 Summer Olympics Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phi ...

. He barely made the varsity team as a sprinter his senior year of high school. But he persevered, attending San Diego State University and competing with the track team as a walk-on. At that level, he was again overshadowed by future World Number One sprinter

Clancy Edwards Clancy Edwards (born August 9, 1955) is a retired track and field sprinter from the United States. He was considered one of the best sprinters in the world between 1974 and 1978. He won the 200 metres at the 1977 IAAF World Cup, the most import ...

who competed for the nearby University of Southern California. Still his times were respectable enough to continue running. He managed to make the semi-finals in the 1978 NCAA Championships and the ill-fated 1980 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) against some of the top sprinters in the world. But that was the point, he had already experienced the best in the world. As frequently the only white American sprinter in a field, Krulee felt he "stood out like a sore thumb." In Europe, he found he could hold his own against the top International sprinters. He split his time between the United States and living in Europe eventually applying for both Finnish and Swedish citizenship in order to have a chance to run in the Olympics and European Championships where he would face less competition from other American sprinters (because a single country is only allowed three entrants). Other than for nagging injuries, he's never stopped running. He's won multiple United States and World Masters Athletics Championships and is still one of the top sprinters in his age group.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Krulee, Marty 1956 births Living people American male sprinters Track and field athletes from San Jose, California San Diego State Aztecs men's track and field athletes American masters athletes Branham High School alumni