Died: Tim Barrett, 74
On January 20, 2023, in Nassau, Bahamas. The 2-time triple jump Olympian (’68 & ’72) never advanced from qualifying. He finished 3rd in the ’68 NCAA meet for USC. That same year he had finished 5th in the inaugural NCAA Indoor.
Died: Greg Bell, 94
On January 25, in Logansport, Indiana. Winner of the NCAA long jump for Indiana in ’56 and ’57, the Hall Of Famer captured the Olympic gold in ’56. At that point his PR 26-6½ (8.09) trailed only Jesse Owens on the all-time list. He also won AAU outdoor titles in ’55 and ’59 and the indoor crown in ’58. Runner-up in the ’56 Olympic Trials, he placed 4th in ’60, missing a second Olympic team by just 3cm. A 6-time World Ranker, he was No. 1 in ’56, ’57 & ’59. Practiced dentistry until he was 89.
Died: Lázaro Betancourt, 88
On January 18, in Havana, Cuba. An Olympian at the ’64 Games in the 100 hurdles, the Cuban served on the WA Technical Committee and was founding president of the Central American & Caribbean Athletics Confederation (CACAC).
Died: Rosie Bonds, 80
On November 22. The ’64 Olympic Trials 80H champion competed in the Tokyo Olympics, placing 8th in the final. She was twice the national champion. Aunt to baseball legend Barry Bonds.
Died: Bernd Cullmann, 85
On January 13, in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. The German sprinter was leadoff on the WR-setting 4×1 squad that won gold at the ’60 Olympics after the U.S. squad was DQed for a bad pass.
Died: Jerome Drayton, 80
On February 10, in Toronto, of complications from knee surgery. The world’s top-ranked marathoner in ’69, the year after he DNFed in Mexico City. The German-born Canadian won the prestigious Fukuoka Marathon 3 times (’69, ’75, ’76), as well as the Boston Marathon in ’77. In all, he World Ranked 4 times. Held the Canadian Record in the marathon from 1975 to 2018.
Died: Aigars Fadejevs, 48
On December 17, in Lithuania. The silver medalist in the ’00 Olympic 50K Walk followed up with an 11th in ’04. At 20K the Latvian was a 3-time Olympian, finishing 6th-14th-9th in ’96, ’00 & ’04. He World Ranked twice in the 20K, with a high of No. 3 in ’98. At 50K, he was No. 2 in ’00, and No. 5 in ’05.
Died: Thelma Hopkins, 88
On January 10, in Edmonton, Alberta. The British high jumper won Olympic silver in ’56, six months after she broke the World Record and was runner-up in the World Rankings. Had finished 4th in the ’52 Games. Her last appearance in the Rankings was a No. 8 in ’61.
Died: Harald Hudak, 67
On December 02, in Pforzheim, Germany. Ran on the West German 4 x 1500 team that set a World Record 14:38.8 in ’77, a mark that lasted for 32 years. World-Ranked No. 9 in the 1500 in ’80.
Died: Ralph Mann, 75
On January 02. The BYU star won three straight NCAA titles in the 440y hurdles (1969–71), with a World Record in ’70. After winning gold in the ’71 Pan-Ams and Ranking No. 1 in the world, he captured silver in the ’72 Olympics. He had set a low-altitude world best of 48.4 in winning the Olympic Trials. He also won 4 AAU titles. In all, he World Ranked 8 times.
Died: Pat McGhee, 58
On November 23. The runner-up in the NCAA 400H in ’88 & ’89 for Iowa. He also finished 5th in the ’89 finals in the 110H. He was Big 10 track athlete of the year in ’89. World Ranked No. 10 in the 400H in ’89 and was a 5-time U.S. Ranker in the event.
Died: Fred Newhouse, 76
On January 20, in Texas; of brain cancer. The popular Prairie View A&M alum won silver in the ’76 Olympic 400 in 44.40, the fastest low-altitude time ever by an American at that point. He also ran on the winning 4×4. A 6-time World Ranker, he was No. 2 in ’76. Later he served as the USATF treasurer and also on the USOPC Board and was team leader at the Sydney Olympics.
Died: Jesse Stuart, 73
On January 20, in Branson, Missouri. The ’74 NCAA shot champion for Western Kentucky, Stuart also was runner-up at the ’73 meet and twice indoors (’73 & ’74). Ranked No. 10 in the world in ’74. He U.S.-Ranked 11 times 1971–86. The third prep to break 70 with the 12-pounder and was the national indoor recordholder.
Died: Klaus Wolfermann, 78
On December 18, in Nuremberg, Germany. The Olympic javelin champion in ’72 for West Germany, Wolfermann set a World Record the following year. A 7-time World Ranker, he was No. 1 in ’73. Didn’t make the final at the ’68 Games.
Died: Ilke Wyludda, 55
On December 01, in Halle, Germany. A 3-time discus Olympian, she won gold in ’96; was also 9th in ’92 and 7th in ’00). She also won silvers at the ’91 and ’95 Worlds. A 12-time World Ranker, she was the No. 1 finisher 6 times between 1989 and 1996. After a partial leg amputation she became a Paralympian.
