Frans Künen

Franciscus Josephus Henricus "Frans" Künen (17 April 1930 – 23 November 2011) was a Dutch long-distance runner. He competed in the marathon at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and finished in 36th place.[1] He held the Dutch records in the 10,000 m from 1956 to 1958 and in the Marathon from 1960 to 1969.

Frans Künen

Frans Künen in 1961
Personal information
Born	17 April 1930 Breda, the Netherlands
Died	23 November 2011 (aged 81) Breda, the Netherlands
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	68 kg (150 lb)
Sport
Sport	Running
Club	Sprint, Breda

Künen started training in running at age 20, while working as a sports instructor at the Dutch Air Force. In 1956, he set a national record in the 10,000 m and won a national cross-country title. Later he became national champion in the 10,000 m (1959, 1961) and marathon (1960). The 1960 title was his first attempt at marathon, and it set a new national record. Internationally, Künen competed in country matches and International Military Championships, winning the 5,000 m in 1956. His best achievement at the International Cross Country Championships (forerunner of the World Championships) was 21st place in 1957.[1]