The first sprint legend to break under ten seconds died at the age of 76.
Jim Hines claimed two Olympic golds from Mexico. PDO
In 1968, the first ever to run a hundred meters in less than ten seconds Jim Hines is dead, says Athletics Weekly. The American sprint legend and Olympic champion was 76 years old.
Hines’ first timed result starting with the number 9 came in the US Olympic qualifiers. On that historic night as well Ronnie Ray Smith and Charlie Greene were able to do the same. Hines repeated the feat at the 1968 Mexico Olympics and won gold.
In the same games, he also won the relay, aiming for the superior USA team.
Hines’ best score of 9.95 remained the world record for 14 years until Calvin Smith succeeded in subverting it. Just four days after his record, Hines switched to American football and was transferred to the Miami Dolphins, where he played only a few games. He also got the chance to play once for the Kansas City Chiefs, but the lack of sports skills watered down his further dreams.
In his youth, Hines also played baseball until a school coach realized he had a talent for sprinting.