John Powell (discus thrower)

American athlete (1947–2022)

John Powell

Powell in 1972

Personal information
Born| (1947-06-25)June 25, 1947
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died| August 19, 2022(2022-08-19) (aged 75)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Height| 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight| 110 kg (243 lb)
Sport
Sport| Athletics
Event(s)| Discus throw, shot put, hammer throw
University team| San Jose State
Club| Bud Light Track America
Achievements and titles
Personal bests|

* DT – 71.26 m (1984)
* SP – 17.09 m (1976)
* HT – 58.49 m (1984)[1]

Medal record

Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
| 1976 Montreal | Discus
| 1984 Los Angeles | Discus
World Championships
| 1987 Rome | Discus
Pan American Games
| 1975 Mexico City | Discus

John Gates Powell (June 25, 1947 – August 19, 2022) was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the discus throw. He set a world record at 69.08 meters in 1975, and his personal best of 71.26 meters ties him for ninth place in the all-time performers list.[2]

## Life and career

[edit]

Powell was born in San Francisco, California, on June 25, 1947.[1]

Powell graduated from San Jose State University and served with the San Jose Police Department for seven years.[3][4] He left the police department to focus on his throwing career.[1]

Powell was a four-time member of the American Olympic Team. Powell finished fourth at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, won a bronze medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal,[1] and was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team which did not compete in the USSR due to the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott. He did however receive one of 461 Congressional Gold Medals created especially for the athletes.[5] He won the bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Additionally, Powell won the British AAA Championships title three times in the discus throw event at the 1974 AAA Championships, 1976 AAA Championships, 1979 AAA Championships and the 1981 AAA Championships.[6][7][8]

Some track and field competitions in 1987 appear to have been Powell's last ones on the international level. Powell ran several annual weight-throwing camps with his fellow Olympian weight throwers. Powell also coached a few of his young champion-level throwers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, nearly every week.[citation needed] Powell also coached the throwers at Stanford University from 1981 to 1990.

In 2019, he was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.[9]

Powell died on August 19, 2022, at the age of 75.[10]

## Achievements

[edit]

* Fourth with 62.82 in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich
* First with 62.37 in the 1975 Pan American Games
* Third with 65.70 in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal
* Third with 65.46 in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
* Second with 66.22 in the 1987 World Championships in Athletics in Rome

Powell is a seven time US-champion in Discus throw in 1974, 1975, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "John Powell". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 20, 2009.
2. ^ "Track and Field Statistics: John Powell". trackfield.brinkster.net. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
3. ^ "Bruce Jenner's Olympic dream began in San Jose". The Mercury News. July 14, 2015. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
4. ^ Gomez, Mark | Bay Area News (April 4, 2019). "San Jose State plans to turn historic track into parking garage". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on December 21, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
5. ^ 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.
6. ^ "Athletics results". Birmingham Weekly Mercury. July 14, 1974. Retrieved May 30, 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
7. ^ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
8. ^ "AAA Championships (men)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
9. ^ "THE YEAR'S BEST ATHLETES, PERFORMANCES AND HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES HONORED AT USATF NIGHT OF LEGENDS". USA Track & Field. December 8, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
10. ^ "John Powell". Olympedia. Retrieved August 21, 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* John Powell at World Athletics
* John Powell at www.USATF.org
* John Powell at Olympedia

Records

Preceded by

John van Reenen

|  Men's Discus World Record Holder
May 3, 1975 – April 24, 1976  | Succeeded by

Mac Wilkins

* v
* t
* e

Pan American Champions in men's discus throw

* 1951:  Jim Fuchs (USA)
* 1955:  Fortune Gordien (USA)
* 1959:  Al Oerter (USA)
* 1963:  Bob Humphreys (USA)
* 1967:  Gary Carlsen (USA)
* 1971:  Dick Drescher (USA)
* 1975:  John Powell (USA)
* 1979:  Mac Wilkins (USA)
* 1983:  Luis Delís (CUB)
* 1987:  Luis Delís (CUB)
* 1991:  Anthony Washington (USA)
* 1995:  Roberto Moya (CUB)
* 1999:  Anthony Washington (USA)
* 2003:  Jason Tunks (CAN)
* 2007:  Michael Robertson (USA)
* 2011:  Jorge Fernández (CUB)
* 2015:  Fedrick Dacres (JAM)
* 2019:  Fedrick Dacres (JAM)
* 2023:  Lucas Nervi (CHI)

* v
* t
* e

AAA Championships winners in men's discus throw

1876–1939|

* 1876–1913: Not held
* 1914: Armas Taipale (FIN)
* 1915–19: Not held
* 1920: Patrick Quinn (IRE)
* 1921: Oscar Zallhagen (SWE)
* 1922: Vilho Niittymaa (FIN)
* 1923: George Mitchell
* 1924–26: Paddy Bermingham (IRL)
* 1927: Kálmán Marvalits (HUN)
* 1928: Ernst Paulus (GER)
* 1929: Harald Stenerud (NOR)
* 1930: Jules Noël (FRA)
* 1931: Endre Madarász (HUN)
* 1932: Paddy Bermingham (IRL)
* 1933: Endre Madarász (HUN)
* 1934: Paddy Bermingham (IRL)
* 1935: Harald Andersson (SWE)
* 1936: Bernard Prendergast (JAM)
* 1937: Nikolaos Syllas (GRE)
* 1938: Adolfo Consolini (ITA)
* 1939: Nikolaos Syllas (GRE)

1946–59|

* 1946–47: Reindert Brasser (NED)
* 1948: Cummin Clancy (IRL)
* 1949: Ferenc Klics (HUN)
* 1950: Raymond Kintziger (BEL)
* 1951: Giuseppe Tosi (ITA)
* 1952–53: Mark Pharaoh
* 1954: Ferenc Klics (HUN)
* 1955–56: Mark Pharaoh
* 1957: Mike Lindsay
* 1958: Fanie du Plessis (SAF)
* 1959: Mike Lindsay

1960–2006|

* 1960: Mike Lindsay
* 1961: Elfranco Malan (RSA)
* 1962: Jay Silvester (USA)
* 1963: Dave Weill (USA)
* 1964: Roy Hollingsworth
* 1965: Lars Haglund (SWE)
* 1966–70: Bill Tancred
* 1971: Les Mills (NZL)
* 1972–73: Bill Tancred
* 1974: John Powell (USA)
* 1975: John van Reenen (RSA)
* 1976: John Powell (USA)
* 1977–78: Pete Tancred
* 1979: John Powell (USA)
* 1980: Brian Oldfield (USA)
* 1981: John Powell (USA)
* 1982: Brad Cooper (BAH)
* 1983–84: Robert Weir
* 1985: Juan Martínez (CUB)
* 1986: Richard Slaney
* 1987–89: Paul Mardle
* 1990: Abi Ekoku
* 1991–92: Werner Reiterer (AUS)
* 1993: Robert Weir
* 1994: Kevin Brown
* 1995: Nick Sweeney (IRL)
* 1996–2000: Robert Weir
* 2001: Glen Smith
* 2002: Robert Weir
* 2003–04: Emeka Udechuku
* 2005–06: Carl Myerscough

* v
* t
* e

US National Championship winners in men's discus throw

1897–1979
Amateur Athletic Union|

* 1897–98: Charles Hennemann
* 1899–1900: Richard Sheldon
* 1901: Harry Gill (CAN) * Dick Sheridan
* 1902: Charles Hennemann
* 1903: Joseph Maddock
* 1904: Martin Sheridan
* 1905: Ralph Rose
* 1906–07: Martin Sheridan
* 1908: Marquis Horr
* 1909: Ralph Rose
* 1910: Merritt Giffin
* 1911: Martin Sheridan
* 1912–14: Emil Muller
* 1915–17: Arlie Mucks
* 1918: Emil Muller
* 1919: Arlie Mucks
* 1920–22: Gus Pope
* 1923–24: Thomas Lieb
* 1925–26: Bud Houser
* 1927: Eric Krenz
* 1928: Bud Houser
* 1929: Eric Krenz
* 1930–31: Paul Jessup
* 1932–33: John Anderson
* 1934: Robert Jones
* 1935–36: Ken Carpenter
* 1937: Phil Levy
* 1938: Pete Zagar
* 1939–40: Phil Fox
* 1941: Archie Harris
* 1942: Bob Fitch
* 1943–44: Hugh Cannon
* 1945: John Donaldson
* 1946: Bob Fitch
* 1947–50: Fortune Gordien
* 1951: Dick Doyle
* 1952: James Dillion
* 1953–54: Fortune Gordien
* 1955: Parry O'Brien
* 1956: Ron Drummond
* 1957: Al Oerter
* 1958: Rink Babka
* 1959–60: Al Oerter
* 1961: Jay Silvester
* 1962: Al Oerter
* 1963: Jay Silvester
* 1964: Al Oerter
* 1965: Ludvík Daněk (TCH) * Jay Silvester
* 1966: Al Oerter
* 1967: Gary Carlsen
* 1968: Jay Silvester
* 1969: Jon Cole
* 1970: Jay Silvester
* 1971: Tim Vollmer
* 1972: Jay Silvester
* 1973: Mac Wilkins
* 1974–75: John Powell
* 1976–79: Mac Wilkins

1980–1992
The Athletics Congress|

* 1980: Mac Wilkins
* 1981: Ben Plucknett
* 1982: Luis Delís (CUB) * Mac Wilkins
* 1983–87: John Powell
* 1988: Mac Wilkins
* 1989–90: Kamy Keshmiri
* 1991: Anthony Washington
* 1992: Kamy Keshmiri

1993-onwards
USA Track & Field|

* 1993: Anthony Washington
* 1994: Mike Gravelle
* 1995: Mike Buncic
* 1996: Anthony Washington
* 1997–98: John Godina
* 1999: Anthony Washington
* 2000–02: Adam Setliff
* 2003: Carl Brown
* 2004: Jarred Rome
* 2005–06: Ian Waltz
* 2007: Michael Robertson
* 2008: Ian Waltz
* 2009–10: Casey Malone
* 2011: Jarred Rome
* 2012–13: Lance Brooks
* 2014: Hayden Reed
* 2015: Jared Schuurmans
* 2016–7: Mason Finley
* 2018: Reggie Jagers
* 2019: Sam Mattis
* 20212020 OT: Mason Finley

Notes|

* The 1920, 1928, 1932, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 championships incorporated the Olympic Trials,
otherwise held as a discrete event.

* 2020 OT: The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

* v
* t
* e

1972 USA Olympic track and field team

Qualification|

* 1972 United States Olympic trials (track and field)

Men's
track and road
athletes|

* Jon Anderson
* Jack Bacheler
* Larry Black
* Doug Brown
* Dick Bruggeman
* Larry Burton
* Wayne Collett
* Willie Davenport
* Tom Dooley
* Jeff Galloway
* Eddie Hart
* Steve Hayden
* Thomas Hill
* Leonard Hilton
* Goetz Klopfer
* Mike Manley
* Ralph Mann
* Vincent Matthews
* Rod Milburn
* Kenny Moore
* Steve Prefontaine
* Rey Robinson
* Jim Ryun
* Steve Savage
* Jim Seymour
* Frank Shorter
* Chuck Smith
* John Smith
* Ken Swenson
* Robert Taylor
* Gerald Tinker (r)
* William Weigle
* Bob Wheeler
* Rick Wohlhuter
* Dave Wottle
* George Young
* Larry Young

Men's
field athletes|

* Jeff Bannister
* Jeff Bennett
* Preston Carrington
* John Craft
* Chris Dunn
* Al Feuerbach
* George Frenn
* Tom Gage
* Bruce Jenner
* Jan Johnson
* Ron Jourdan
* Fred Luke
* Brian Oldfield
* John Powell
* Arnie Robinson
* Bill Schmidt
* Al Schoterman
* Bob Seagren
* Jay Silvester
* Dave Smith
* Steve Smith
* Milt Sonsky
* Dwight Stones
* Tim Vollmer
* Art Walker
* Randy Williams
* George Woods

Women's
track athletes|

* Iris Davis
* Debra Edwards
* Mable Fergerson
* Barbara Ferrell
* Pam Greene
* Kathy Hammond
* Patty Johnson
* Wendy Koenig
* Francie Kraker
* Francie Larrieu
* Madeline Manning
* Mildrette Netter (r)
* Lacey O'Neal
* Mamie Rallins
* Mattiline Render
* Jackie Thompson
* Cheryl Toussaint
* Martha Watson

Women's
field athletes|

* Kim Attlesey
* Roberta Brown
* Sherry Calvert
* Olga Connolly
* Gale Fitzgerald
* Jane Frederick
* Cindy Gilbert
* Sandi Goldsberry
* Kate Schmidt
* Maren Seidler
* Jan Svendsen
* Martha Watson
* Deanne Wilson
* Willye White

Coaches|

* Bill Bowerman (men's head coach)
* Ted Haydon (men's assistant coach)
* Hoover Wright (men's assistant coach)
* Stan Wright (men's assistant coach)
* Nell Jackson (women's head coach)
* Randall Lambert (women's assistant coach)
* Ron Sorkness (women's assistant coach)

* v
* t
* e

1976 USA Olympic track and field team

Qualification|

* 1976 United States Olympic trials (track and field)

Men's
track and road
athletes|

* Garry Bjorklund
* Benny Brown (r)
* Doug Brown
* Dick Buerkle
* Matt Centrowitz
* Willie Davenport
* Mike Durkin
* Mark Enyeart
* Dwayne Evans
* Charles Foster
* Herman Frazier
* Paul Geis
* Harvey Glance
* Millard Hampton
* Johnny "Lam" Jones
* Don Kardong
* Ron Laird
* Mark Lutz
* Duncan MacDonald
* Henry Marsh
* Ed Mendoza
* Edwin Moses
* Fred Newhouse
* James Owens
* Maxie Parks
* Steve Riddick
* James Robinson
* Mike Roche
* Bill Rodgers
* Todd Scully
* Mike Shine
* Frank Shorter
* Craig Virgin
* Larry Walker
* Quentin Wheeler
* Rick Wohlhuter

Men's
field athletes|

* James Barrineau
* Earl Bell
* James Butts
* Sam Colson
* Fred Dixon
* Rayfield Dupree
* Al Feuerbach
* Richard George
* Anthony Hall
* Larry Hart
* Tommy Haynes
* Bill Jankunis
* Bruce Jenner
* Larry Myricks
* Terry Porter
* John Powell
* Dave Roberts
* Arnie Robinson
* Fred Samara
* Pete Shmock
* Jay Silvester
* Dwight Stones
* Mac Wilkins
* Randy Williams
* George Woods

Women's
track athletes|

* Debra Armstrong
* Evelyn Ashford
* Rhonda Brady
* Rosalyn Bryant
* Chandra Cheeseborough
* Pat Donnelly
* Sheila Ingram
* Madeline Manning Jackson
* Pam Jiles (r)
* Wendy Knudson
* Francie Larrieu
* Jan Merrill
* Brenda Morehead
* Deby LaPlante
* Cyndy Poor
* Debra Sapenter
* Martha Watson (r)
* Kathy Weston

Women's
field athletes|

* Sherry Calvert
* Gale Fitzgerald
* Jane Frederick
* Paula Girven
* Joni Huntley
* Marilyn King
* Kathy McMillan
* Kate Schmidt
* Maren Seidler
* Karin Smith
* Pam Spencer
* Sherron Walker
* Martha Watson
* Lynne Winbigler

Coaches|

* LeRoy Walker (men's head coach)
* Sam Bell (men's assistant coach)
* Lee Calhoun (men's assistant coach)
* Jimmy Carnes (men's assistant coach)
* Stan Huntsman (men's assistant coach)
* Berny Wagner (men's assistant coach)
* Alex Ferenczy (women's head coach)
* C. Harmon Brown (women's assistant coach)
* Jack Griffin (women's assistant coach)
* Brooks Johnson (women's assistant coach)

* v
* t
* e

1984 USA Olympic track and field team

Qualification|

1984 United States Olympic trials (track and field)

Men's track
and road athletes|

* Ray Armstead
* Alonzo Babers
* Kirk Baptiste
* Ron Brown
* Tonie Campbell
* Don Clary
* Paul Cummings
* Brian Diemer
* Marco Evoniuk
* Greg Foster
* Sam Graddy
* Johnny Gray
* John Gregorek
* Danny Harris
* Tranel Hawkins
* Jim Heiring
* Thomas Jefferson
* Earl Jones
* Roger Kingdom
* Steve Lacy
* Carl Lewis
* Henry Marsh
* John Marshall
* Antonio McKay
* Walter McCoy
* Edwin Moses
* Sunder Nix
* Daniel O'Connor
* Vince O'Sullivan
* Doug Padilla
* Pete Pfitzinger
* Pat Porter
* Alberto Salazar
* Carl Schueler
* Steve Scott
* Calvin Smith
* Willie Smith
* Jim Spivey
* John Tuttle
* Craig Virgin

Men's
field athletes|

* Duncan Atwood
* Willie Banks
* Earl Bell
* Tim Bright
* Ed Burke
* Art Burns
* Michael Carter
* Mike Conley Sr.
* John Crist
* Milton Goode
* Bill Green
* Al Joyner
* Dave Laut
* Carl Lewis
* Jud Logan
* Doug Lytle
* Mike McRae
* Larry Myricks
* Doug Nordquist
* Tom Petranoff
* John Powell
* Steve Roller
* Dwight Stones
* Mike Tully
* Mac Wilkins
* Augie Wolf
* Jim Wooding

Women's track
and road athletes|

* Evelyn Ashford
* Sharrieffa Barksdale
* Joan Benoit
* Jeanette Bolden
* Cindy Bremser
* Valerie Brisco-Hooks
* Alice Brown
* Judi Brown
* Julie Brown
* Robin Campbell
* Chandra Cheeseborough
* Mary Decker
* Diane Dixon
* Benita Fitzgerald-Brown
* Kim Gallagher
* Randy Givens
* Florence Griffith Joyner
* Joan Hansen
* Denean Howard
* Sherri Howard
* Julie Isphording
* Missy Kane
* Lillie Leatherwood
* Pam Page
* Diana Richburg
* Kim Turner
* Angela Wright-Scott
* Ruth Wysocki

Women's
field athletes|

* Jodi Anderson
* Carol Cady
* Laura De Snoo
* Leslie Deniz
* Cindy Greiner
* Lorna Griffin
* Joni Huntley
* Jackie Joyner
* Carol Lewis
* Ramona Pagel
* Louise Ritter
* Karin Smith
* Pam Spencer
* Lynda Sutfin
* Cathy Sulinski
* Angela Thacker

Coaches|

Authority control databases: People |

* World Athletics

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