Thane Baker

Walter Thane Baker ( born October 4, 1931 in Elkhart, Kansas ) is a former American track and field athlete and Olympic champion.

In his time as a student at Kansas State University, he had his greatest sporting achievements. In 1953, he won the NCAA national championships over 220 yards and 1956, the AAU Championships over 200 meters. Prior to the Olympics in 1956, he presented a existing for many years record for the 100 meters of Jesse Owens, also twice the world record over 200 meters.

In the XV. Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952, he won the silver medal in the 200 - meter race between his two compatriots Andy Stansfield (Gold) and James Gathers (bronze). In the XVI. Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956 he surpassed his achievements of 1952 and won the silver medal in the 100 - meter dash, behind the Americans Bobby Joe Morrow ( gold) and ahead of Australian Hector Hogan (Bronze) and the bronze medal in the 200-meter running behind the two Americans Bobby Joe Morrow ( gold) and Andy Stansfield (Silver) as well as the team gold medal in the 4 x 100 - meter relay with his team mates Ira Murchison, Leamon King and Bobby Joe Morrow, before the teams from the Soviet Union ( silver) and Germany (bronze).