Bob Richards | |
|---|---|
 Bob Richards in 1951 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Eugene Richards February 20, 1926 Champaign, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | February 26, 2023 (aged 97) |
| Political party | Populist (1984–1996) American Freedom (2010–2023) |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign |
| Sports career | |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 75 kg (165 lb) |
| Sport | Pole vault, decathlon |
| Club | LAAC, Los Angeles |
| Sports achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | HJ – 1.91 m (1954) PV – 4.72 m (1957) LJ – 7.09 m (1954) |
Medal record | |
Robert Eugene Richards (February 20, 1926 – February 26, 2023) was an American athlete, minister, and politician. He made three U.S. Olympic Teams in two events: the 1948, 1952, and 1956 Summer Olympics as a pole vaulter and as a decathlete in 1956.[1] He won gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the first male two-time champion in the event in Olympic history (a feat only equalled in 2024 by Armand Duplantis).
While still an active athlete, Richards became an ordained minister. He ran for President of the United States in 1984 on the Populist Party ticket.
While Richards is known for his extraordinary athleticism, that led to his appearing for many years on "Wheaties" cereal boxes and as a result, he became the "face" of that cereal for many years, particularly during the 1960s.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Bob Richards". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020.