Percy Beard

Percy Beard ( Percy Morris Beard, born January 26, 1908 in Hardinsburg, Kentucky; † 27 March 1990 in Gainesville, Florida) was an American hurdler.

Beard was the dominant U.S. athlete in the 110 meter hurdles at the Olympic Games in 1932. He not only had the world record on the distance metric of 14.4 equalized, but also on the distance of 120 yards hurdles to 14.2 scaled down.

The U.S. Trials for the games were held at Stanford. Here Jack Keller presented a metric world record and won the Trials before George Saling and Beard. In the semifinals of the games then put a spreader also the world record. In the final, now standing against these three American world record holder, two British and the German Willi Vlašský. Beard took the lead, but had at the sixth hurdle problems, and so Saling won in 14.6 before Beard at 14.7. Behind three runners and 14.8 in the rating: The Briton Don Finlay at No. 3, basement at # 4 and the Langhürdler Lord Burghley 5th place Vlašský was disqualified.

While Keller's career ended quickly and saling was killed, improved Beard in 1934 the world record in Stockholm only to 14.3 and 11 days later in Oslo to 14.2.

From 1937 to 1964, Beard coach at the University of Florida. In addition, the trained engineer dealt with the development of all-weather surfaces for athletics.