Hasely Crawford

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Men's athletics
Olympic medal record
Gold	1976 Montreal	100 metres

Hasely Joachim Crawford (born August 16, 1950) is a former athlete from Trinidad and Tobago. In 1976, he became the first Olympic champion of his country.

[edit] Biography

Born in San Fernando, Trinidad, is one of eleven children borne to Phyllis Holder. Crawford started with athletics at age 17. He was 6 times Trinidad and Tobago 100 metre champion, and won the 200 metre title in 1976. He debuted internationally in 1970, winning a bronze medal in the 100 m at the Commonwealth Games. Only two years later, he surprisingly qualified for the final of the Olympics in Munich, although he did not finish - he injured his hamstring after 20 m.

In 1975 he was runner up at the pan-american games in the 100 metres, after this Crawford was added to the team of American coach Bob Parks, who prepared Crawford excellently for the 100 m and 200 m events at the Montreal Olympics in 1976, running only a few races during the season. The tactics paid off, as Crawford won the 100 m, narrowly in front of Don Quarrie of Jamaica, winning Trinidad and Tobago's first Olympic gold medal. He had also qualified for the 200 m final, but pulled out due after injuring his groin.

In 1977 he won the Centrael american and Caribbean 100 metre championship.

Hasely Crawford's last success was a bronze medal in the 1978 Commonwealth Games (100 m). He did also participate in the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, but didn't reach a final again.

A national hero in his home country, Crawford has appeared on postage stamps and has an aeroplane and a sports stadium named after him. He now resides with his common law wife, Paula and has two children, Harlon and Haley Crawford. he also works in NGC (The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago. He currently has two nieces who are currently following in his footsteps and making a name for themselve in the world of athletics.