Description
Randel Luvelle Williams was an American athlete who mainly competed in the men's long jump event.
He competed for the United States at the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, Germany where he won the gold medal in the long jump. His winning jump of 8.34 m set the World Junior Record that stood for almost 40 years until it was surpassed with an 8.35 jump by Russian Sergey Morgunov on June 20, 2012. At the time it was the longest standing record on the books. Williams also competed for the United States in the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Canada in the long jump where he won the silver medal.
Williams attended the University of Southern California. In high school, Williams attended Edison High School in Fresno. At the CIF California State Meet in 1969 he finished third, behind future rival James McAlister, in 1970 he finished second behind future NFL star, Lynn Swann and in 1971, he won the meet in what would have clearly been a meet record, had it not been wind aided.
In 2009, Randy Williams was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.
Born
August 23rd, 1953 in Fresno (Age 71)