- Mel Patton
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Olympic medal record Men's athletics Competitor for the United States Gold 1948 London 200 metres Gold 1948 London 4x100 m relay Melvin Emery "Mel" Patton (born November 16, 1924) is an American track and field athlete, who won two gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics.
Biography
Born in Los Angeles, California, Mel Patton or Pell Mell, as he was nicknamed in the late 1940s, made his mark in track and field while a student at the University of Southern California, where he was coached by the famous Dean Cromwell. He also attended University High School in Los Angeles.
Patton won the NCAA 100 yard dash in 1947 and in 1948 and 1949 completed the 100 and 220 yd sprint double at that same meet. In 1947, he tied the 100 yd dash world record of 9.4, then lowered it to 9.3 the following year. In 1949, he set a 220 yd world record on a straightaway of 20.2, breaking a Jesse Owens record.
In the Olympic Trials, he suffered a rare loss to Barney Ewell in the 100 m final, then in the Olympic Games placed only fifth in the 100 m. He atoned for that disappointment by taking two gold medals in the 200 m and the 4 x 100 m relay.
After retiring from competition, he was a track coach before entering the electronics industry.
External links
Olympic Champions in Men's 200 m - 1900: Walter Tewksbury (USA)
- 1904: Archie Hahn (USA)
- 1908: Robert Kerr (CAN)
- 1912: Ralph Craig (USA)
- 1920: Allen Woodring (USA)
- 1924: Jackson Scholz (USA)
- 1928: Percy Williams (CAN)
- 1932: Eddie Tolan (USA)
- 1936: Jesse Owens (USA)
- 1948: Mel Patton (USA)
- 1952: Andy Stanfield (USA)
- 1956: Bobby Morrow (USA)
- 1960: Livio Berruti (ITA)
- 1964: Henry Carr (USA)
- 1968: Tommie Smith (USA)
- 1972: Valeriy Borzov (URS)
- 1976: Don Quarrie (JAM)
- 1980: Pietro Mennea (ITA)
- 1984: Carl Lewis (USA)
- 1988: Joe DeLoach (USA)
- 1992: Michael Marsh (USA)
- 1996: Michael Johnson (USA)
- 2000: Konstantinos Kenteris (GRE)
- 2004: Shawn Crawford (USA)
- 2008: Usain Bolt (JAM)
Olympic Champions in Men's 4×100 m Relay - 1912
- 1920
- 1924
- 1928
- 1932
- 1936
- 1948
- 1952
- 1956
- 1960
- 1964
- 1968
- 1972
- 1976
- 1980
- 1984
- 1988
- 1992
- 1996
- 2000
- 2004
- 2008
Categories:- 1924 births
- Living people
- American sprinters
- People from Los Angeles, California
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1948 Summer Olympics
- Olympic track and field athletes of the United States
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States
- University of Southern California alumni
- University High School (Los Angeles, California) alumni
- Olympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
- American track and field athletics Olympic medalist stubs
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