Otis Davis
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's athletics | ||
Competitor for the  United States |
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| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1960 Rome | 400 metres |
| Gold | 1960 Rome | 4x400 metres relay |
For the baseball player, see Otis Davis (baseball)
Otis Crandall Davis (born July 12, 1932) is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1960 Summer Olympics.
Most of America's great track and field champions began their careers in high school or even earlier. But Otis Davis, born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, took a different route. Basketball was his earliest game and he didn't take up track and the 400 m dash until age 26, as a student at the University of Oregon. Davis ran for the legendary Bill Bowerman. He lettered in track in 1958, 1959, and 1960.
Two years later, in 1960, was Otis Davis' year. At the Olympic Games in Rome, he won by a hair over Germany's Carl Kaufmann, setting a world record of 44.9 seconds and becoming the first man to break the heralded 45-second barrier. The photo of the finish, with (in full horizontal dive position) Kaufmann's nose ahead of Davis, but his torso behind, has been studied and discussed by track and field officials for years.[1] Both athletes were awarded the world record time, recorded in the 10ths of a second in those days, but Davis was awarded the win. Two days later, Davis and Kaufmann met again for the 4 x 400 m relay final. He held off the challenge, anchoring home the gold with another world record performance of 3:02.2. Again the photo of the finish of that race was made famous in Life Magazine.[1]
A torch-bearer for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Davis, a former innovative teacher, coach, and counselor in the United States and abroad, is also an elected member of the University of Oregon, State of Oregon, and New Jersey Sports Writers' Halls of Fame. In 2004, he was elected to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.[2] Otis Davis is currently president of the Tri-States Olympic Alumni Association, which he helped found.
[edit] Records
- World Record 1960: 400 meters 44.9
- American Record 1960: 400 meters 44.9
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Golden glow - An Article by Rachael Ryan
- University of Oregon Duck Record Holders [1]
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- 1932 births
- Living people
- American sprinters
- Former world record holders in athletics (track and field)
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics
- Olympic track and field athletes of the United States
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States
- Oregon Ducks track and field athletes
- Sportspeople from Oregon
- Olympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
