…Jim Hines, first 100m sub-10s sprinter before his demise
Report has revealed that the US sprinter Jim Hines, the first man to break the 10-second barrier for 100m, has been confirmed dead at the age of 76 as disclosed by the World Athletics on Monday.
At the 1968 US Championships in Sacramento, Hines became the first man to officially go below 10 seconds for 100m, running a hand-timed 9.9sec.
Later that year, in winning the 1968 Olympic 100m gold medal at altitude in Mexico City, Hines lowered the world record to an electronic timing of 9.95sec.
Remarkably, that record stood for 15 years – the longest of any men’s 100m world record in the fully automatic era.
It was noted that Hines retired from athletics at the end of 1968 and went on to play in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs.
Also at the Mexico Olympics he led home Lennox Miller of Jamaica and Charles Greene in the 100m, setting the new world record.
Hines added another Olympic gold medal and world record when he anchored the USA to gold in the 4x100m relay in 38.24.
It’s going to be a loss to the United States of America sports history and he will be greatly missed.