Loren Murchison

Medal record

From left to right: Charles Paddock, Hubert Houben, Loren Murchison (Berlin, 1924)
Men's athletics
Competitor for the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold 1920 Antwerp 4x100 m relay
Gold 1924 Paris 4x100 m relay

Loren C. Murchison (December 17, 1898 – June 11, 1979) was an American athlete, double gold medal winner in 4x100 m relay at the Olympic Games.

Born in Farmersville, Texas, Loren Murchison was an AAU Champion in 100 yd (91 m) in 1920 and 1923 and in 220 yd (200 m) in 1918 and 1923. He also won the British AAA championships in both 100 yd (91 m) and 220 yd (200 m) in 1925.

At the 1920 Summer Olympics, Murchison finished fourth in 200 m and sixth in 100 m. He also ran the third leg in the gold medal winning United States 4x100 m relay team, which set a new world record of 42.2 in the Olympic final.

At the 1924 Summer Olympics, Murchison was again sixth in 100 m and won his second Olympic gold medal as an opening leg in the world record (41.0) setting American 4x100 m relay team.

In 1925 Murchison was struck with spinal meningitis and paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life.[1]

A resident of Leisure Village in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, Murchison died at the age of 81 on June 11, 1979 at Point Pleasant Hospital in Point Pleasant, New Jersey.[2]

References

  1. ^ This author met Murchison in the early 1970s and heard his story directly from him. My father was his doctor.
  2. ^ Staff. "Loren Murchison, 80, Track Star", The New York Times, June 14, 1979. Accessed February 9, 2011. "For the last 16 years he had resided in Leisure Village, a retirement community in Lakeville [sic]."

External links