Lavy Pinto

Born in Nairobi, Kenya in 1929, Lavy Pinto moved to India where he became a talented athlete. When he was 20 Pinto won both the 100 and 200 metres at the Bombay State Athletics Meet, going on to dominate in the sprint events in India in the early 1950s. In 1951 he did the sprint double when he won gold in both events at the Asian Games in New Delhi, along with silver in the 4 x 100 metres relay. The following year Pinto was named as the captain of India’s athletics team at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where he reached the semi-finals in both the 100 and 200 metres. Prior to the Games he spent time in England, training at the London Athletic Club. Pinto retired from athletics in 1956, with him then working for Taj Hotels and Air India before moving to the United States in 1969.

Personal Bests: 100 – 10.6 (1952); 200 – 21.5 (1956).