Leslie Laing
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Jamaican |
| Born | 19 February 1925 Linstead, Saint Catherine, Jamaica |
| Died | 7 February 2021 in (aged 95) Clermont, Florida, USA |
| Height | 164 cm (5 ft 5 in) |
| Weight | 55 kg (121 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Sprints |
| Club | Polytechnic Harriers |
Leslie Alphonso "Les" Laing (19 February 1925 – 7 February 2021) was a Jamaican athlete and a winner of gold medal in 4 × 400 m relay at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Biography
Born in Linstead, Jamaica, Laing previously competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics, where he finished sixth in 200 m and was eliminated in the heats of 100 m. He probably missed a medal when Arthur Wint pulled a muscle in the 4 × 400 m relay final.[1]
Laing finished second behind McDonald Bailey in both the 100 yards[2][3] and 220 yards events at the British 1949 AAA Championships.[4][5]
At the Helsinki Olympics, Laing was fifth in the 200 m and ran the second leg in the Jamaican 4 × 400 m relay team, which won the gold medal with a new world record of 3:03.9.[6] In 2005 he was inducted into the Central American and Caribbean Confederation Hall of Fame.[7]
He died twelve days short of his 96th birthday.
Competition record
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Jamaica | |||||
| 1948 | Olympics | London, England | 4th, Heat 1 | 100 m | 11.0 |
| 1948 | Olympics | London, England | 6th | 200 m | 21.8 |
References
- ^ "History: Epic Run at Helsinki". Caribbean Olympics Coverage 2008. Gleaner Company. 2008. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ "AAA Championships (men)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
- ^ "Alan with 7 others". Daily Record. 16 July 1949. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
- ^ "Won AAA titles". Daily News (London). 18 July 1949. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Zatopek In 3rd Olympic Distance Win". Lodi News-Sentinel. Lodi, California. 28 July 1952. p. 4. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ "News - Noticias".