Melvin Lattany (born August 10, 1959) is a former
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
track athlete
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping event ...
. He was one of the world's dominating
sprinters in the early 1980s.
Early years
Lattany attended
Glynn Academy
Glynn Academy (GA) is an American public high school in Brunswick, Georgia, United States, enrolling 1,900 students in grades 9– 12. Along with Brunswick High School, it is one of two high schools in the Glynn County School System. Glynn Aca ...
, where he was a standout sprinter in track. He also practiced football, where although he was primarily a
wide receiver, he also played as a
safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are ...
, cornerback, punt returner, kickoff returner and was the backup
placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter.
Spe ...
.
He accepted a track scholarship from the
University of Georgia
, mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things."
, establ ...
, where he established a new
Men's World Junior Record over 100 metres on July 30, 1978.
Lattany qualified for the 1980 US Olympic team as a
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been conteste ...
sprinter and a member of the
4 × 400 metres relay
The 4 × 400 metres relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams consist of four runners who each complete 400 metres or one lap. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. At top class events, th ...
team, but was unable to compete due to the
1980 Summer Olympics boycott
The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott was one part of a number of actions initiated by the United States to protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union, which hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and its allies later ...
. He did however receive one of 461
Congressional Gold Medal
The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress. It is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. The congressional pract ...
s awarded to those athletes affected by the boycott.
He won a gold medal in the
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been conteste ...
at the
1981 Summer Universiade
The 1981 Summer Universiade, also known as the XI Summer Universiade, took place in Bucharest, Romania. The events were watched by 200,000 spectators.
Sports
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Medal table
External links
Universiada 81-TVR
{{Univer ...
, and in the
200 metres
The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightl ...
at the
1981 IAAF World Cup, with a 20.21 seconds finish. On May 5, 1984, Lattany became the fifth man (second at sea level) to break the
10-second barrier
The 10-second barrier is the physical and psychological barrier of completing the 100 metres sprint in under ten seconds. The achievement is traditionally regarded as the hallmark of a world-class male sprinter. Its significance has become less i ...
when he clocked 9.96 seconds in Athens, Georgia.
[
]
Professional career
Lattany retired from track in 1985 and signed as a free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
with the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
of the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
on June 20, looking to become an NFL wide receiver as a 25-year-old rookie. At the time, he ran the 40-yard dash
The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed and acceleration of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time can have a he ...
in 4.29 seconds. He was released on August 19.
In 1987, he was reinstated by the International Amateur Athletics Federation
World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (from 1912 to 2001) and International Association of Athletics Federations (from 2001 to 2019, both abbreviated as the IAAF) is the international governing body for ...
to run track again.
Accolades and Awards
In 2009, Lattany was honored as one of the 20 Athletes of the Century at the Drake Relays
The Drake Relays (officially the Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom) is an outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University. Billed as ''America's Athletic Classic'', it ...
(he was never beaten in the 100 m, finals and preliminary races, in the four years he competed there, 1978 to 1981; in addition being named outstanding performer in 1981).
In 2013, Lattany was inducted into the Glynn County Sports Hall of Fame.
Rankings
Lattany was ranked among the best in the US and the world in both the 100 and 200 m sprint events from 1979 to 1984, according to the votes of the experts of ''Track and Field News
''Track & Field News'' is an American monthly sports magazine founded in 1948 by brothers Bert Nelson and Cordner Nelson, focused on the world of track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on runni ...
''.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lattany, Mel
1959 births
Living people
People from Brunswick, Georgia
Track and field athletes from Georgia (U.S. state)
American male sprinters
Georgia Bulldogs track and field athletes
University of Georgia alumni
Congressional Gold Medal recipients
Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field)
Universiade gold medalists for the United States
Medalists at the 1981 Summer Universiade