1960 Rome Summer Games | Page 2 of 2 | U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum

Tommy Kono

It was at an internment camp in the desert during World War II that Tommy Kono's asthma dissipated and he was introduced to weightlifting, eventually winning two Olympic gold medals and one silver.

Rafer Johnson started on the UCLA basketball team and was drafted by the NFL's Los Angeles Rams. He took silver in the decathlon at the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and won gold at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games.

Donna de Varona

Donna de Varona made her Olympic debut as a 13-year-old at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games, winning a relay gold medal, and won two more gold medals at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games.

Glenn Davis

Glenn "Jeep" Davis had blazing speed that carried him to three Olympic gold medals. Following his track career, he played two years of professional football in the NFL before becoming a track coach.

Lee Calhoun

Lee Calhoun was the first male athlete to win consecutive Olympics gold medals in the 110-meter hurdles, winning photo finishes at the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and Rome 1960 Olympic Games.

Ralph Boston

Relatively unknown until a tuneup meet prior to the Rome 1960 Olympic Games, long jumper Ralph Boston broke Jesse Owens' long-standing world record and went on to win Olympic gold.

Muhammad Ali

He won a gold medal at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games while known as Muhammad Ali, but perhaps his most iconic moment came when lighting the Olympic Flame at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.

Olympiad: 1960 Rome Summer Games