Lee Evans

CAREER
HIGHLIGHTS:
400m double at 1968 Olympics









For
Lee Evans, 1968 was without a doubt the pinnacle of his athletic
career. The US Olympic Trials were held at high altitude (South Lake
Tahoe) to simulate conditions which would be met at Mexico City. Lee
Evans won the 400m there on 14 September in a staggering time of
44.06sec, with Larry James second (44.19sec), and Ron Freeman third.
The depth of US 400m runners was so strong in 1968 that Vince Matthews,
who had set a World Record of 44.4sec only two weeks before, could
manage only fourth, and thus only qualified for the relay in Mexico.
Although Evans and James had both smashed Matthews' World Record,
Evans' record claim was disallowed, as he had been wearing the
revolutionary new 'brush' spikes which were deemed illegal for record
purposes. Although Evans was still the winner, James was credited with
the World Record. In the Olympic final at Mexico City on 18 October,
the US trio easily completed a clean sweep of the medals, with Evans
victorious in a new World Record of 43.86sec (this time in legal
spikes!!), James second in 43.97sec, and Freeman third in 44.41sec.
With Vince Matthews added to this trio, the USA possessed a 4 x 400m
relay team where each individual had bettered the pre-1968 400m World
Record at least once in the preceding seven weeks. Needless to say, the
team was considered a certainty for the gold medal, and there was every
expectation that they would make a mess of the existing World Record of
2min 59.6sec. They certainly did not disappoint, with all four running
fast legs, and anchored by Evans, they easily won the gold medal in a
time of 2min 56.16sec, a time which would stand for 24 years until it
was bettered by another US Olympic quartet at Barcelona. (Ron Casey)