Kathy McMillan

Last updated
Kathy McMillan
Personal information
Full nameCatherine Laverne McMillan
BornNovember 7, 1957 (1957-11-07) (age 66)
Raeford, North Carolina, U.S.
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Olympic Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1976 Montreal Long jump
Olympic Boycott Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1980 Philadelphia Long jump
Pan American Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1979 San Juan Long jump
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1983 Caracas Long jump

Catherine "Kathy" Laverne McMillan (born November 7, 1957) is a retired American athlete, who mainly competed in the long jump.

McMillan was born in Raeford, North Carolina. She competed for the United States at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Canada, where she won the silver medal in the Women's Long Jump event as an 18-year-old. She attended Tennessee State University.

While competing for Hoke County High School, in Raeford, North Carolina she set the still standing NFHS National High School Record in the Long Jump of 22 ft 3 in (6.78 m) while participating in the Jack in the Box Invitational at UCLA on June 12, 1976. [1]

McMillan qualified for the 1980 US Olympic team but was unable to compete due to the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott. She did however receive one of 461 Congressional Gold Medals created especially for the spurned athletes. [2]

In 2021 she was elected into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. [3]

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References

  1. High School Records Archived 2010-06-16 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Caroccioli, Tom; Caroccioli, Jerry (2008). Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Highland Park, IL: New Chapter Press. pp. 243–253. ISBN   978-0942257403.
  3. "USA Track & Field | USATF announces 2021 Hall of Fame class".