NIR Ron Freeman

The ’68 Olympics is most remembered by the bowed heads and raised fists of Tommie Smith and John Carlos. Afterwards, the United States team swept the individual 400 meter dash. Ron and his teammates stood on the podium during the medal ceremony wearing emblematic black berets. Ron’s second trip to the victory stand, with his gold medal winning 4x400m relay teammates, also included a silent stance against racial discrimination in the United States. These protests not only represent some of the most memorable moments in Olympic history but an important milestone in America's civil rights movement as well. The 4x400m relay event provided not only an exciting race, but a historic event.  Ron’s time of 43.2 seconds was the fastest 400-meter relay split in track and field history and stood for more than 20 years! 

His time was ultimately responsible for the United States’ world record setting time of 2:56.16, which shattered the world record by over three seconds and was unbroken for 25 years.  In addition to the collective gold, Ron captured the bronze in the individual 400-meter race where the United States swept the medal stand at the ’68 Olympics, in doing so Ron ran the fastest 400 meters ever run in lane #1 at 44.4. Although Ron’s Olympic achievements are stellar, and his performance in the 4x400 meter relay proved to be phenomenal, his story of triumph in the face of adversity began long before the ‘68 Olympics.