Frank Wykoff

Frank Wykoff was the first man to win three Olympic relay gold medals, all of them in world-record efforts. Wykoff first astounded the track world as an 18-year-old at Glendale High School when he beat the great Charlie Paddock in both sprints at the Southwest Olympic Trials. He went on to make the Olympic team for Amsterdam, where he won the first of his gold medals. His 200m victory over Paddock at the Southwest Trials was Wykoff’s only major win at this distance, although his time of 20.8 showed his potential in the longer sprint.

Wykoff wisely chose to concentrate on the 100y/100m and in 1930 he ran the first official 9.4 for 100 yards, breaking the world record. While at Southern Cal, he won three IC4A (1930-32), two NCAA (1930-31), and two AAU (1928, 1931) dash titles. After graduation he served as director of special schools for Los Angeles County for many years.

Personal Bests: 100 – 10.4 (1932); 200 – 20.8s (1928).