Vincent Matthews (athlete)

Vince Matthews (actually Vincent Edward Matthews, born December 16, 1947 in New York City ) is a former American track and field athlete and Olympic champion.

Matthews was in the 1960s and early 1970s, one of the strongest runner over 400 meters and in a permanent rivalry with the later Olympic champion Lee Evans. These two met each other already as teens dueled in 1967 in the AAU Championships and at the Pan American Games. At a preparatory training two weeks before the Olympic Trials in 1968 Matthews set with 44.4 seconds for a new world record over 400 meters, which was, however, not be considered because he used brushes shoes sporting goods manufacturer Puma illicit spikes. In the actual Olympic qualification he was beaten by three runners, Lee Evans, Larry James and Ron Freeman.

In the Summer Olympics 1968 in Mexico City, he won the gold medal in the 4 x 400 meters relay together with his teammates Ron Freeman, Larry James and Lee Evans before the teams from Kenya (Silver) and Germany (bronze). The saving of these four runners relay world record of 2:56,1 minutes was offered only in 1992. After Mexico Matthews gave the Athletics on, got married and went to his work. But somehow he made his way back to the sport, and at the U.S. Trials, he finished in third place on 400 meters.

At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, he was in top form, and won the gold medal in front of the other Americans Wayne Collett ( silver ) and the Kenyans Julius Sang ( Bronze). At the ceremony, the ceremony and the playing of the U.S. national anthem talked and smirked Matthews and Collett together. Many viewers believed that the two wanted to demonstrate how Black Power 1968 Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who so protested against the discrimination of the African American population. Although Matthews and Collett denied this intention, but they were still banned by the IOC any further part in the Olympic Games. This meant that the U.S. team had not had enough runners to take part in the 4 x 400 - meter relay and had to withdraw the relay. Both Matthews and Collett later confessed that they had indeed demonstrated for the rights of black Americans.