Ralph Boston, the Olympic long jump champion who broke Jesse Owens' world record then later had his own mark eclipsed by Bob Beamon's record-shattering leap at the Mexico City Games, died Sunday. He was 83.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee confirmed Boston died Sunday at his home outside of Atlanta.
Boston broke or tied the world record six times during the 1960s. He was the first person to reach the 27-foot mark. His first world record came shortly before the Rome Olympics in 1960 with a jump of 26 feet, 11 inches that surpassed the 25-year-old record held by Owens.In 1968, Boston was warming up at the Mexico City Games when Beamon jumped 29-2 1/4, shattering the record by nearly two feet in a jump that stands among the greatest single moments in Olympic history.
Coming off his win in 1960, Boston was favored four years later, but a gusty rainstorm and an unexpected performance by Britain's Lynn Davies quashed Boston's hope for a repeat. Boston won bronze in the 1968 meet where Beamon set his record. In an interview with Mississippi Today, Beamon said it was Boston who came up to him after he had faulted on his first two attempts and suggested he adjust his footwork in the run-up.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Could France protest fury spill into next year's Olympics?Preparations in France for the 2024 Olympic Games had been going largely smoothly. That is starting to change. Olympic contestation is picking up online and starting to spill onto streets, because protesters are linking the Paris Games to unpopular pension reforms pushed through by French President Emmanuel Macron. A band of Olympic opponents who call themselves “un-volunteers' are surreptitiously working to infiltrate and disrupt next year’s Games by signing up as would-be Olympic volunteers. There also are small and sporadic protests targeting Olympic preparations. Olympic organizers say polling shows enduring strong support for the Paris Games. But critics of Macron want to disrupt the show to retaliate for his raising of France’s retirement age from 62 to 64.
Read more »
Next frontier in France's protests: Fake Olympic volunteersPreparations in France for the 2024 Olympic Games had been going largely smoothly. That is starting to change. Olympic contestation is picking up online and starting to spill onto streets, because protesters are linking the Paris Games to unpopular pension reforms pushed through by French President Emmanuel Macron. A band of Olympic opponents who call themselves “un-volunteers' are surreptitiously working to infiltrate and disrupt next year’s Games by signing up as would-be Olympic volunteers. There also are small and sporadic protests targeting Olympic preparations. Olympic organizers say polling shows enduring strong support for the Paris Games. But critics of Macron want to disrupt the show to retaliate for his raising of France’s retirement age from 62 to 64.
Read more »
Jennifer Lopez Sports a Sultry Ralph Lauren Cutout Gown at the Met GalaJennifer Lopez Sports a Sultry Ralph Lauren Cutout Gown for the Met Gala
Read more »
Ralph Lauren to Offer Full Scholarship to Marist Fashion StudentThe company will award $100,000 to one student over four years.
Read more »
Trans TikTok Star Jesse Sullivan Says KISS' Paul Stanley Has Transgender Issue WrongTrans TikTok star Jesse Sullivan reacts to Paul Stanley's controversial comments on transitioning.
Read more »
Actor and S.A. native Jesse Borrego takes on the 'sock check'Actor and San Antonio native Jesse Borrego recently appeared in a viral video where he gets 'sock checked,' a meme popularized by the social media platform Foos Gone Wild, which sends up and celebrates Chicano and cholo culture.
Read more »