Ron Freeman
Ron Freeman (actually Ronald John Freeman II, born June 12, 1947 in Elizabeth, New Jersey ) is a retired American sprinter. He won in 1968 in Mexico City two Olympic medals. He was the fastest runner in the world record in the 4 x 400 - meter relay team, which held nearly 24 years.
The 1.83 m wide Ron Freeman never won an individual title at U.S. championships and was in the Olympic year 1968 his only outstanding season. The Olympic Qualification of Americans was held in Echo Summit in 2250 meters above sea level, to simulate the conditions of Mexico City. In the finals, the 400m Lee Evans won in 44.0 seconds before Larry James at 44.1 s Both remained well below the world record, the Tommie Smith with 44.5 's held. Freeman could qualify as s s third single starter just before Vince Matthews in 44.8 in 44.6.
At the Olympic Games in Mexico City every three Americans in the heats ran rather subdued, but qualified without any problems for the finals on 18 October 1968. This final was then the fastest 400 - meter race by then. Evans won in 43.86 seconds before James in 43.97 s and 44.41 s in Freeman, while the other finalists finished the race beyond the 45 -second limit. The world record of Lee Evans was offered only in 1988 by Harry Reynolds.
Even longer held the world record, which the U.S. team aufstellte in the 4 x 400 - meter relay team on 20 October in the final. Vince Matthews, Ron Freeman, Larry James and Lee Evans undercut in 2:56,16 min by 3.8 seconds, the old record, also remained under the second-place relay race. The fastest leg in the relay Freeman had returned to 43.2 s, thus not only the lead of around three meters decreased the Kenyans Munyoro Nyamau, but ran out 20 meters lead in handing over the baton to James. At the presentation ceremony, the four colored Americans presented with berets and raised fists as supporters of the Black Power movement.
Only the U.S. relay at the Olympic Games 1988, a world record, where Seoul is located almost at sea level. At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, the longest-lived world record was from 1968 then undercut.