The American athlete was involved in one of the early athletic tussles of the Cold War period between the United States and the Soviet Union at the Olympic Games.

Ashenfelter went head-to-head with the Soviet Union's Vladimir Kazantsev in the final of the 3,000 metres steeplechase in the Finnish city.

Kazantsev dominated the early stages of the race to appear on course for victory.

A surge on the final lap of the event saw Ashenfelter pull clear of his rival to secure gold in a time of 8min 45.4sec, an unofficial world record time.

The result generated headlines due to Ashenfelter working at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, while Kazantsev was a Soviet solider in World War Two.

The podium was completed by Britain's John Disley, who later broke the world record in the discipline.

Disley would also found the London Marathon with Chris Brasher, who was the 11th place finisher in the Helsinki 1952 steeplechase final.

Brasher went on to win the Olympic title four years later in Melbourne, while Ashenfelter failed to reach the final.

During his career, Ashenfelter won two US cross-country titles and was a silver medallist at the second edition of the Pan American Games in 1955.

He finished behind Argentina's Osvaldo Suárez in the men’s 5,000m.