Mel Pender

Mel Pender (actually Melvin Pender Jr., born October 31, 1937 in Atlanta, Georgia) was an American sprinter.

At the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964, he was about 100 m due to injury only seventh in 10.44 s, while his compatriot Bob Hayes won in 10.05 s. Four years later, at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, he ran 10.17 s - a time that would have brought him in Tokyo, the silver medal, but this time only for sixth place was enough, while Jim Hines, in a world record time of 9 95 s won.

Ever seemed Pender to sixth place to be subscribed, on which he did not also came at the American Championships the years 1964, 1965 and 1968, although in Sacramento the 100 meters three times in a world record time of 10.0 s ran in 1968 as winner of the second forward travel (with gale-force tailwind of 6.2 m / s), third in the first semifinal and finally stopped in the s sixth of the finals, the first six with 10.0, the days of the fourth- to sixth -placed in retrospect However, to 10.1 s were corrected.

His only medal he won as a member of the U.S. team in the 4 x 100 - meter relay at the Olympic Games in 1968. 's Occupation of Charles Greene, Pender, Ronnie Ray Smith and Jim Hines she put with 38.24 s a world record.

After ending his playing career Pender went back to where he had started with the sport: the Army. He was head coach at the United States Military Academy.