Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
In August 1972, Dave Wottle battled chronic tendonitis in his left knee, which hindered his training for three weeks ahead of the Munich Olympics. This injury forced him to withdraw from the 3000m at a pre-Olympic meet in Oslo, and he seriously considered dropping the 1500m event. Wottle expressed psychological distress over missed workouts and doubted his Olympic prospects unless he could return to racing and training before the Games. He felt out of shape and was unable to correct it at the time.
Just a month earlier, at the US Olympic Trials, Wottle had surprised many by equaling the 800m world record with a time of 1:44.3. Despite viewing the 800m as secondary and using it as a tune-up for the 1500m, he overtook renowned runners like Jim Ryun in a dramatic finish, matching the world record held by Peter Snell and Ralph Doubell. This unexpected achievement became a high point leading into the Olympics.