Track Legend Otis Davis Leaves Lasting Legacy: The Pioneering Athlete Who Shattered the 45-Second Barrier

2024.09.18

Otis Davis, the first man to break 45 seconds at the Rome Olympics and the winner of both the 400m and 4x400m gold medals, has passed away

Otis Davis (USA), gold medalist in the men’s 400m at the 1960 Rome Olympics, has passed away. He was 92 years old.

Born in Alabama in 1932, Davis served in the Air Force after graduating from high school before enrolling at the University of Oregon on a basketball scholarship, but instead took up track and field as a sprinter.

At the 1960 Rome Olympics, he set a new world record of 44.9 seconds in the 400m and won the gold medal, becoming the first athlete in history to break the 45-second mark.

He also won the gold medal in the 4x400m relay as the anchor of the US team. The winning time of 3 minutes 2.2 seconds was a world record at the time. He served as a torchbearer at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and his portrait is displayed in the tower of Hayward Field, the venue for the 2022 Oregon World Championships.

Otis Davis (USA), gold medalist in the men’s 400m at the 1960 Rome Olympics, has passed away. He was 92 years old. Born in Alabama in 1932, Davis served in the Air Force after graduating from high school and then enrolled at the University of Oregon on a basketball scholarship. However, he started track and field in college and became a sprinter. At the 1960 Rome Olympics, he set a world record of 44.9 seconds in the 400m and won the gold medal. It was a great achievement, as he was the first athlete to break the 45-second mark. He also won the gold medal as the anchor of the US team in the 4x400m relay. His winning time of 3 minutes 2.2 seconds was the world record at the time. He served as a torchbearer at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and his portrait is displayed in the tower at Hayward Field, the venue for the 2022 Oregon World Championships, in recognition of his achievements.