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    Jim Hines, First Man to Run 100-Meter in Less Than 10 Seconds, Dead at 76

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    The sport of track and field lost a legend this week as the passing of Olympic gold medalist Jim Hines was announced. Hines died at age 76.

    The United States Track and Field Twitter account Tweeted about the news on June 5, saying, “The sport has lost a legend with the passing of two-time 1968 Olympic champion Jim Hines.” The Tweet also went on to explain the significance that Hines held in the sport, being the first man to ever break 10 seconds in the 100-meter dash. They said, “Hines made history as the first man to run under 10 seconds in the 100m when he ran a world record 9.95 to win gold in Mexico City.”

    The official account of The Olympic Games posted a video of Hines running the 100-meter dash, showcasing his world-class groundbreaking speed. Hines revolutionized the sport as he showed that sub-10-second times were possible, inspiring other athletes to strive for the same.

    Hines won gold in the event at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico. His record time stood for 15 years. Hines, an Oakland native, first began collecting awards for his speed in high school where he won two state titles for the McClymonds High School track and field team. Hines then went on to play football at Texas Southern before making the breakthrough that defined his athletic career.

    At the 1968 United States Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Jim Hines turned in a spectacular 9.9 seconds in the 100-meter dash, good enough to send him to the Olympic Games in Mexico City. This made him become the first man to break the ten-second barrier, although the time was unofficial due to the clock being operated by hand instead of electronically.

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    Hines would then go on to famously break the record in the Olympics and win both the 100-meter dash and the 4×100-meter relay for Team USA.

    Hines also went on to spend time in the NFL and AFL between 1968 and 1970, according to Sports Illustrated. Hines played parts of three seasons for the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs.

    Featured image: UPI, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons