Willie Davenport

William " Willie" Davenport ( born June 8, 1943 in Troy (Alabama ), † 17 June 2002, Chicago) was an American track and field athlete. At a height of 1.86 m his competition weight was 84 kg.

Career

Willie Davenport took four times at the Olympics in part in the 110- meter hurdles. In 1964 he retired from the semi-final with 14.28. In 1968, he won gold in 13.33. This hurdle competition in 1968 was one of the few on the short routes, where there was no world record.

1972 Davenport fourth in 13.50. In 1976 Davenport won bronze in 13.38 behind the Frenchman Guy Drut and the Cuban Alejandro Casañas. If one disregards the Games in 1980, which boycotted the Americans yes, the best Americans won in the 110- meter hurdles since 1896 always gold or silver, except being in 1976, where the oldie Davenport defend the honor of the U.S. hurdler had, during the co-favorite Charles Foster only fourth. To be fair, we should mention, however, that both Drut and Casañas world record runners were. Willie Davenport presented "only" once, in 1969, the age-old world record of Martin Lauer one.

With 33 years Willie Davenport finished 1976 his Olympic career as a hurdler. At the 1980 Winter Olympics Davenport started as brakeman in the four-man event and was ranked 12th

Willie Davenport was an ordinary soldier in the Army when he gave his 1964 Olympic debut. In 2002, he died as a colonel in the National Guard when he died of a heart attack at the airport in Chicago.

Others

Willie Davenport was stationed as a soldier from 1964 to 1968 in Mainz- Gonsenheim. In this time it has Professor Dr. Berno wiping, founder of the Sports Institute at the University of Mainz, trained in the 110- meter hurdles.