Willy Polleunis

Willy Polleunis is a Belgian former long-distance runner who won the silver medal in the 3000 metres at the 1973 European Indoor Championships, behind his clubmate Emiel Puttemans. He competed in the 5000 and 10000 metres events at the 1968, 1972 and 1976 Olympics with the best achievement of sixth place in the 5000 metres in 1976. At the start of the final lap, he was in tenth place, but he accelerated, and possibly ran the final lap even faster than the winner, Lasse Viren. Polleunis also won team gold medals at the 1973 and 1977 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, and a team silver in 1976.

27 December 1947

Born on the same birth date (27 December 1947): Ax (wrestler) • Doug Livermore

Born on the same birth day (27 December): Bruce Hobbs • Bruno Bobak • Charles Olson • Claudio Castagnoli • Cliff Arquette • Daimí Pernía • Doug Livermore • Emilie de Ravin • Erin E. Stead • Giovanni Battista Borra • Joel Indermitte • Jonathan Marchessault • Kalle Korhonen • Logan Bailly • Louis Lincoln Emmerson • Moise Joseph • Nikolay Kamensky • Ok Taec-yeon • Pascale Dorcelus • Paul Stastny • Werner Baumbach • William Whitelock • Zavon Hines • Zelina Vega

Born in the same month (December 1947): Christopher Parkening • Cozy Powell • Jeff Lynne • Jim Plunkett • Johnny Bench • Josef Janíček • Rasul Guliyev • Tom Daschle • Tommy Jenkins • Trevor Żahra • Vincent Matthews (athlete)