World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that Jamaica's George Rhoden, 1952 Olympic 400m and 4x400m champion, passed away on Saturday (24th) at the age of 97.
Born in Kingston in 1926, Roden spent most of his life in the United States. His first international success came at the 1946 Central American and Caribbean Games, when, as a teenager, he won a bronze medal in the 400 metres and a gold medal in the 4×400 metres.
In his early 20s, while attending Morgan State University, he won numerous NCAA titles and set a world record in the 400 meters in 45.8 seconds in 1950 in Eskilstuna, Sweden.
A great all-around talent, Rhoden competed in the 100 meters at the 1948 Olympics and the 800 meters at the 1950 and 1954 CAC Games.
But it was in events over 400 metres that he excelled most, and he went into the 1952 Helsinki Olympics as one of the favourites to win. In a thrilling showdown with Jamaican teammate Herb McKenley, Roden won the gold medal in the Finnish capital in an Olympic record time of 46.09.
Two days later, Rhoden and McKenley teamed up to win gold in the 4x400m relay in a world record time of 3 minutes 4.04 seconds.
One of his last major championships was the 1954 CAC Games, where he won four medals: silver in the 400m and 800m, and gold in the 4x100m and 4x400m.
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