Ron Morris (pole vaulter)

Ron Morris
Morris (left) at the 1960 Olympics
Personal information
Full nameRonald Hugh Morris
Born(1935-04-27)April 27, 1935
Glendale, California, U.S.
DiedMay 31, 2024(2024-05-31) (aged 89)
Height178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight70 kg (154 lb)
Sport
Country United States
SportAthletics
EventPole vault
ClubSouthern California Striders
Achievements and titles
Personal best5.03 m (1966)[1][2]
Medal record
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1960 Rome Pole vault

Ronald Hugh Morris (April 27, 1935 – May 31, 2024) was an American track and field athlete who won the national title in pole vault in 1958, 1961 and 1962.[3] He placed fourth at the 1959 Pan American Games and second at the 1960 Summer Olympics.[4] Morris vaulted 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m) in June 1971 for a Masters M35 World Record at the 1971 Los Angeles Senior Olympics. After retiring from competitions, he worked as athletics coach.[1] Morris competed for the USC Trojans track and field team.[4] He died on May 31, 2024, at the age of 89.[5]

His athletic and coaching experience includes:

  • 1952–1953 Two time California Interscholastic Pole Vault and U.S. Interscholastic Record Holder[1]
  • 1955–1957 Twice Intercollegiate All-American and University of Southern California Pole Vault Record Holder
  • 1956 Sixth man in history to clear 15 feet
  • 1956–1966 Eight times AAU All-American – ranked in the top 10 in the world for ten years
  • 1960 Silver Medal in XVII Olympiad, Rome, Italy
  • 1962 Only World Class athlete to successfully convert from steel to fiberglass (ranked #1 in the world that year)
  • 1978 Ranked by Track and Field News as the 2nd Best Pole Vaulter (longevity) in history
  • 1960–1978 Track Coach at California State University, Los Angeles (prepared several All-American athletes)
  • 1978–? Owner and operator of On Track
  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference sr was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference tf was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Men's US Outdoor Champions..." USA Pole Vaulting. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  4. ^ a b Tosches, Rick (January 17, 1986). "Brooks Morris Follows in His Father's Steps". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  5. ^ Riggio, Jim (June 3, 2024). "Olympic Silver Medalist Ron Morris Dies at 89". My Burbank. Retrieved June 4, 2024.