Lindy Remigino, photo from USOC
Original post July 18, 2018
Repost December 31, 2018
Lindy Remigino was the 1952 Olympic gold medalist in one of the most exciting 100 meters of all times! Lindy Rermigino was a unique man because, after his gold medal, he was a high school educator. To me, that is more special than his gold medal. This is my favorite post of July 2018.
Lindy Remigino, the 1952 Olympic gold medalist at 100 meters, died on 11 July 2018. He was 87 years old and, even with battling cancer, had lived a long and colorful life. In 1952, Lindy Remigino won the Olympic 100 meters by a margin of one inch, as four men had the same time, 10.4. Lindy was a New York area kid, born in Queens.
In the 100 meters (we have embedded the 100 meter race below), Lindy had the race won at 80 meters, but misjudged the finish line, and battled three men over the final 20 meters. A true photo finish, Remigino was given the win. He would go on to win a second gold in the 4×100 meter relay.
For 43 years after his Olympic medal, Lindy Remigino was a high school track coach, at Hartfield Public High School, where, during a career that spanned 43 years, Lindy’s teams won 31 state titles.
I think of Lindy, as I recall meeting him in a group about two decades ago. I also remember the late Bud Greenspan writing about him. I respect his Olympic medals, but I truly respect him for coaching high school kids for 43 years. In those years, Lindy truly lived his Olympic ideals. Please keep Lindy’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.
The Obit from the IAAF on Lindy Remigino:
The IAAF is deeply saddened to hear that Lindy Remigino, the 1952 Olympic 100m champion from the USA, died on Wednesday (11) at the age of 87.
Born in New York in 1931, Remigino was just 21 years old when he made his Olympic debut. The leading US sprinter, Jim Golliday, missed the US Olympic Trials through injury, leaving Art Bragg to win the 100m title from Remigino.
Bragg, however, picked up an injury before the 1952 Olympic Games and failed to make the final. Carrying USA’s hopes of claiming the 100m gold medal, Remigino found himself with a significant lead at 80 metres.
He dipped for the line a bit too early, though, and was almost caught by three other sprinters. The first four finishers were given the same time, 10.4, but Remigino was declared the winner ahead of Jamaica’s Herb McKenley.
“I won by about one inch. I should have won that race by about a yard,” Remigino said in a 2017 interview with USA Track & Field. “I got off to a good start and was leading by quite a bit. I was saying to myself, ‘I’m gonna win this!’ I stuck my chest out, and it was 20 meters before the line. My strides got smaller and smaller, and I almost blew it.”
He went on to pick up another gold medal later in the Games as part of the victorious 4x100m quartet.
After retiring from competitive sprinting, Remigino worked as a high school coach at Hartford Public High School.
