Track and Field | U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum

Tommie Smith

Tommie Smith's courage to protest for racial equality continues to be remembered throughout the sports landscape.

John Carlos

John Carlos and Tommie Smith's protest for racial equality has echoed throughout the sports world since the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games.

Chris Waddell

Paralyzed from the waist down after a skiing accident, Chris Waddell went on to compete in seven Paralympic Games, winning 13 medals and becoming the most decorated male monoskier in U.S. history.

Candace Cable participated in nine different Paralympic Games in three sports and was the first U.S. woman to win medals in both the Paralympic Games and Paralympic Winter Games. She won eight gold medals and had 84 career first-place marathon finishes.

LeRoy Walker

LeRoy Walker was the first Black American to coach a U.S. Olympic Team, guiding the men’s track and field team to six gold medals in the Montreal 1976 Olympics.

Avery Brundage

After an athletic career that included participating in the decathlon and pentathlon at the Stockholm 1912 Olympic Games, Avery Brundage started a business career. He later served as president of the American Olympic Association and then was president of the International Olympic Committee from 1952 to 1972.

Sport: Track and Field

Tommie Smith

John Carlos

Chris Waddell

Candace Cable

LeRoy Walker

Avery Brundage

Ed Temple

Frank Wykoff

Mal Whitfield

Willye White