Loren C. Murchison (December 17, 1898 – June 11, 1979) was an American athlete, double gold medal winner in 4×100 m

relay A relay Electromechanical relay schematic showing a control coil, four pairs of normally open and one pair of normally closed contacts An automotive-style miniature relay with the dust cover taken off A relay is an electrically operated switch ...

at the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

Biography

Born in

Farmersville, Texas Farmersville is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,612 at the 2020 census. History Farmersville originated in 1849 as a settlement on the Jefferson-McKinney Road, and near Republic of Texas National Road. The s ...

, Loren Murchison was an AAU Champion in in 1920 and 1923 and in in 1918 and 1923. He also won the British AAA championships in both and in 1925. At the

1920 Summer Olympics The 1920 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1920; nl, Olympische Zomerspelen van 1920; german: Olympische Sommerspiele 1920), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIe olympiade; nl, Spelen van ...

, Murchison finished fourth in 200 m and sixth in 100 m. He also ran the third leg in the gold medal winning United States 4x100 m relay team, which set a new

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

of 42.2 s in the Olympic final. At the

1924 Summer Olympics The 1924 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1924), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIIe olympiade) and also known as Paris 1924, were an international multi-sport event held in Paris, France. The op ...

, Murchison was again sixth in 100 m and won his second Olympic gold medal as an opening leg in the world record (41.0 s) setting American 4×100 m relay team. Murchison was an outstanding indoor runner. He won 14 titles (9 individual and 5 in the relay) at the United States premier indoor athletics meet, the Millrose Games. He was also national indoor champion at the 60 y in 1919–20 and 1922–24, and 300 y in 1919–20 and 1923–24. Murchison was also a prolific breaker of records indoors. Amongst the world best times he equaled or broke are: * equaled 60 y best of 6.4 s in 1920, 1922 and 1923; * established new 60 y best of 6.2 s in 1923; * 50 m of 6.0 s in 1925; * 300 y of 31.2 s; * 220 y best of 22.4 s. It was such exploits that inspired

Charley Paddock Charles William Paddock (August 11, 1900 – July 21, 1943) was an American athlete and two time Olympic champion. Biography Paddock was born in Gainesville, Texas to Charles H. and Lulu (Robinson) Paddock. His family moved to Pasadena, Cali ...

(1920 Olympic 100 m champion) to call Murchison "the greatest indoor sprinter of his generation and the finest starter of all-time. In 1925 Murchison was struck with

spinal meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion o ...

and paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. A resident of Leisure Village in

Lakewood Township, New Jersey Lakewood Township is the most populous township in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. A rapidly growing community as of the 2020 U.S. census, the township had a total population of 135,158 representing an increase of 41,415 (+45.5 ...

, Murchison died at the age of 80 on June 11, 1979 at Point Pleasant Hospital in

Point Pleasant, New Jersey Point Pleasant is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was down from 19,306 in 2000 but still up from 18,177 in 1990. The Borough is a Jersey Shore community situ ...

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Murchison, Loren 1898 births 1979 deaths American male sprinters Athletes (track and field) at the 1920 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1924 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field Sportspeople from Lakewood Township, New Jersey People from Farmersville, Texas Sportspeople from the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex Track and field athletes from Texas Medalists at the 1924 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1920 Summer Olympics USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners People with paraplegia