Ralph Boston: U.S. Olympic Track and Field Legend Dies at 83

The Laurel, Mississippi native rose to prominence ahead of the 1960 Olympics after besting a world record set by Jesse Owens.

U.S. Olympic track and field legend Ralph Boston died Sunday at the age of 83 following complications from a recent stroke, according to Mike Organ of The Tennessean.

Boston, born on May 9, 1939, in Laurel, Miss., rose to prominence ahead of the 1960 Olympics in Rome following a standout career at Tennessee State. During an Olympic tune-up meet in August 1960, Boston set the long jump world record with a leap of 26 feet and 11.25 inches, besting the mark set by the legendary Jesse Owens 25 years prior by three inches.

The following month, Boston went on to represent Team USA at the Games of the XVII Olympiad, where he a won gold medal after setting an Olympic record in the long jump with a leap of 26-7 1/2. In addition to his Olympic success, Boston also added an NCAA long jump championship that same year while at TSU, where he also excelled in the high jump, triple jump and hurdles events.

In 1961, Boston, a few years removed from setting a national record in the high hurdles in high school, added to his already-growing legend at the Modesto Relays in May by besting his own world record in the long jump. With a leap of 27’ 1/2”, Boston became the first man in history to jump more than 27 feet in the event.

A heralded Olympian who went on to break the men’s long jump world record on several occasions, Boston won silver at the Tokyo 1964 Games and bronze at the Mexico City Games in ’68 before retiring from competition shortly after. His post-track and field career includes a seven-year tenure as an administrator at the University of Tennessee and stints as a commentator for CBS and ESPN.

In 1974, Boston was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame, and in ’85, he was enshrined into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. Additionally, Boston’s accolades include receiving the World Athlete of the Year and North American Athlete of the Year awards during his career, and inductions into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, Mississippi’s Sports Hall of Fame, Helms Hall of Fame in Los Angeles and TSU Athletics Hall of Fame following his retirement.