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Ron Whitney

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Ron Whitney
Personal information
Born (1942-10-05) October 5, 1942 (age 82)
Modesto, California, United States
Height1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight78 kg (172 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)400 m, 400 m hurdles
ClubSouthern California Striders, Anaheim
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)400 m – 46.6 (1967)
880 yd – 1:48.6 (1963)
400 mH – 49.06 (1968)
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1967 Winnipeg 400 m hurdles
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1967 Tokyo 400 m hurdles
Bronze medal – third place 1965 Budapest 400 m hurdles

Ronald Howard "Ron" Whitney (born October 5, 1942) is a retired American hurdler and sprinter. Known for his fast finish, he was sixth in the 400 m hurdles at the 1968 Summer Olympics.[1] He had entered the race as one of the favorites,[2] having been ranked #1 in the world in 1967 [3] and winning the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the event for the second time earlier that year.[4] At the Olympics, his first heat victory established a new Olympic record, only to be surpassed by David Hemery two days later.[5]

Previously he had been the Pan American Games champion in the same event.[6] While working on his master's degree at Colorado State University, he was the 1967 Gold Medalist at the World University Games. He also had won bronze two years earlier[5] and while competing for Occidental College, where he was coached by Jim Bush, was runner up at the NCAA Championships in 1963.

At Thomas Downey High School in Modesto, California,[7] Whitney was the champion at the 1960 Golden West Invitational, the equivalent of a national champion, at 800 m,[8] a week after finishing fourth in the CIF California State Meet in the same event.[9]

Whitney continued to compete into masters age groups as a pioneer of masters athletics.[10]

Whitney continues to be involved in the sport as head track and field coach at Santa Rosa Junior College.[11] He is a member of the Mt. SAC Relays Hall of Fame and the Occidental College Hall of Fame.[12]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "UKA David Hemery". Ukathletics.org. Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  2. ^ "Greatest British Olympic Hurdlers". About Olympics. July 11, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  3. ^ "All-Time World Rankings – Men's 400 Hurdles" (PDF). Trackandfieldnews.com. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  4. ^ "Statistics – USA Outdoor Track & Field Champions". USATF. Archived from the original on June 13, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Ron Whitney Biography and Olympic Results | Olympics at". Sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020.
  6. ^ Ralph Hickok (November 26, 2011). "History – Pan American Games Track and Field Medalists – Men". HickokSports.com. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  7. ^ "Clutch Performers". www.oxy.edu. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  8. ^ "Past Champions : 13 Golden West : June : Results : Track : 2009 : DyeStatCal : The Internet Home of California High School Track, Field and Cross Country | DyeStatCal". Archive.dyestatcal.com. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  9. ^ "California State Meet Results – 1915 to present". Hank Lawson. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
  10. ^ "U.S. Masters International Track Team – September 1978" (PDF). Mastershistory.org. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  11. ^ "Santa Rosa Junior College". Santarosa.edu. August 13, 2004. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  12. ^ "Occidental : Occidental College Track and Field Hall of Fame". Oxyathletics.com. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
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