9 4 8 ▁U . S . ▁Olympic ▁Team ▁qual ification ▁weeks ▁later . ▁ ▁International ▁competition ▁▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁Olympics ▁Ross ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁London ▁Olympics ▁where ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁only ▁American ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁ste e ple ch ase ▁final , ▁placing ▁ 7 th ▁overall ▁with ▁a ▁ 9 : 2 3 . 2 ▁time . ▁After ▁the ▁Olympics ▁were ▁over ▁Ross ▁decided ▁to ▁stay ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁post p one ▁his ▁return ▁trip ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁because ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁road ▁races ▁held ▁in ▁Ireland . ▁It ▁was ▁there ▁that ▁he ▁discovered ▁a ▁vast ▁resource ▁of ▁running ▁talent , ▁and ▁when ▁Ross ▁returned ▁home ▁he ▁prompt ly ▁alert ed ▁" J um bo " ▁of ▁his ▁find ings . ▁Elli ott ▁he eded ▁his ▁advice , ▁and ▁thus ▁began ▁Vill an ova ' s ▁tradition ▁with ▁its ▁long ▁line ▁of ▁Irish ▁run ners . ▁ ▁Ross , ▁however , ▁did ▁not ▁match ▁the ▁same ▁success ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁Olympics ▁held ▁in ▁Hels ink i , ▁Finland . ▁He ▁qualified ▁to ▁comp ete ▁but ▁never ▁reached ▁the ▁final s ▁in ▁any ▁competition . ▁▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁Pan ▁American ▁Games ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁Pan ▁American ▁Games , ▁Ross ▁placed ▁ 1 st ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 5 0 0 ▁meter ▁run , ▁shared ▁ 1 st ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 0