Pete McArdle

"For the English artist see Peter McArdle"
Peter ("Pete") McArdle (1929-1985) was a long-distance runner who, though born in Ireland, represented the United States. He won the gold medal in the men's 10,000 metres at the 1963 Pan American Games in São Paulo, Brazil, by defeating Argentina's Osvaldo Suárez, the two time Pan-Am gold medalist and record holder. McArdle bettered the Pan-Am record by 25.1 seconds. He came third in the men's marathon.

McArdle came to the United States in 1956 and became a US citizen in 1962. He worked as a mechanic for a New York bus company. He competed for the New York Athletic Club in the 1960s, establishing himself as one of the nation's top distance runners. McArdle finished 20th in the marathon in the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

McArdle, who for many years was a frequent competitor in New York-area distance and cross-country races, collapsed and died in June 1985 during a cross-country practice run at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. He was 56 years old and was survived by his wife, Barbara, three daughters and a son.

References

* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EFDE1E39F934A15755C0A963948260 Obituary NYT]