Ralph Boston

Ralph Boston
Boston at the 1960 Olympics
Personal information
Full nameRalph Harold Boston[1]
Born(1939-05-09)May 9, 1939[1]
Laurel, Mississippi, U.S.[1]
DiedApril 30, 2023(2023-04-30) (aged 83)
Peachtree City, Georgia, U.S.
Height6 ft 1+1⁄2 in (187 cm)[1]
Weight163 lb (74 kg)[1]
Sport
SportTrack and field
Event(s)Sprint, hurdles, long jump, high jump, triple jump, pole vault,
ClubSouthern California Striders, Anaheim
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
  • 100 yd – 9.6 (1964)
  • 220 yd – 22.0 (1964)
  • 120 ydH – 13.7 (1961)
  • HJ – 2.04 m (1962)
  • PV – 4.16 m (1960)
  • LJ – 8.35 m (1965)
  • TJ – 15.89 m (1964)[1]
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1960 Rome Long jump
Silver medal – second place 1964 Tokyo Long jump
Bronze medal – third place 1968 Mexico City Long jump
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1963 Sao Paulo Long jump
Gold medal – first place 1967 Winnipeg Long jump

Ralph Harold Boston (May 9, 1939 – April 30, 2023) was an American track athlete who received three Olympic medals and became the first person to break the 27 feet (8.2 m) barrier in the long jump.

  1. ^ a b c d e f Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ralph Boston". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2021.