Liquori was coached by Fred Dwyer at Essex Catholic high school in Newark, New Jersey. While at Essex Catholic, Marty won the Eastern states cross-country championships at Van Cortland Park in New York and set the course record.
In 1967, his Essex Catholic high school team set an American record for both the distance medley and the 4 mile relay. Marty's high school career was highlighted by finishing seventh in the national mile championships won by Jim Ryun in a world record 3:51.1 seconds. After running 4:08 seconds the previous day to qualify for the final on Bakersfield Californias crushed brick track Marty became the third American high school runner to run under four minutes with a time of 3:59.8 seconds. It would be 35 years before another High School runner would break four minutes.
Marty Liquori is one of only six men to have been ranked number one in the world in both the mile/1500 meters and in the 5000 meters.
Since retiring from running the Liquori has been named by Sports Illustrated as the fifth greatest Sports personality from New Jersey and inducted into:
USA Track and Field Hall of Fame
National Distance Running Hall of Fame
The Penn Relays and Wall of fame
The Italian-American Hall of Fame
The Villanova Hall of Fame
The New Jersey Hall of Fame
The Running Years
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In 1968, Marty finished second to Ryun in the US Olympic trials and at age 19 was a finalist at the Mexico City Olympics. He remains the youngest 1500 meter finalist.
In 1969 and 1971, Marty was ranked number one in the world in the 1500/mile event. He remains the last American to accomplish the number one ranking.
During his collegiate career (1968-1972) Liquori was coached by Jumbo Elliott at Villanova University. Liquori won 3 of 3 NCAA mile championships from 1969 to 1971. As a Villanova relay runner at the Penn relays Marty was on nine winning teams in nine attempts. In addition, Liquori won both the mile and 2 mile at the NCAA indoor Championships leading Villanova to the team Championship. Liquori was also the second man on Villanovas winning NCAA cross country team finishing 9th in 1971.
Liquori was a top indoor competitor winning 13 straight races over a five year period in Madison Square Garden. His best time of 3:55.8 was the second fastest at the time.
Liquori's best mile of 3:52. 2 seconds was run in finishing second to Filbert Bayi in Kingston Jamaica in 1975. In that race Bayi, running from the front, set a new world record of 3:51.0. In that race, Liquori became the fourth fastest miler with the fifth fastest time after Jim Ryun, Filbert Bayi and Ben jipcho.
Also in 1975 Liquori ran his first quality 5000 meters and ranked number three in the world.
In 1976 Liquori missed the Montréal Olympic Games because of a hamstring strain which occurred prior to the Olympic trials.
In 1977 a rejuvenated Liquori was ranked number one in the 5000 meters the last American to do so.
In 1978, Liquori was ranked second in the 5000 meters behind world record breaking Henry Rono of Kenya.
Liquoris running career came to a close at the1980 Olympic trials in response to the boycott of the 1980 Moscow games.
Today Marty lives in Gainesville Florida with his wife Debra Main. Their family includes Michael Liquori and his wife Soledad, Connor Main and Maredith Main.