Glenn Davis ran his first intermediate hurdles race in April 1956, which he won in 54.4; within two months he had, incredibly become the first man to break the 50 second barrier when he brought the world record down to 49.5 at the Final Trials. In Melbourne he won comfortably and defended that title in Rome, becoming the only man in history to win two Olympic 400m hurdle titles. Later in the 1960 Games, he won a third gold when he contributed a 45.4 third stage to the new world record set by the 1,600m relay team. Shortly after the Games, Davis signed a pro football contract and played with the Detroit Lions in 1960-61, but in the years between Olympics he had shown himself to be one of the great track talents of all time. He won the AAU 400m/440y hurdles four times and, on the flat, twice broke the world record for the open 440y; his best mark came at the 1958 NCAA where, representing Ohio State, he ran 45.7. He also set two more world records in the 400m/440y hurdles, leaving them at 49.2 and 49.9 respectively as well as running a 22.5 world record for the 200m hurdles immediately prior to the 1960 Olympics.
Personal Bests: 100 – 10.3 (1958); 200 – 21.0 (1958); 400 – 45.4y (1958); 110H – 14.3 (1957); 400H – 49.2 (1958); LJ – 24-0¼ (7.33) (1957).
United States