Willie Deckard

American track and field athlete

Willie Deckard

Personal information

Born| (1951-01-03)January 3, 1951
Died| May 6, 2023(2023-05-06) (aged 72)
Sport
Sport| Running
Event(s)| 100 yards, 100 metres, 200 metres

Medal record

Representing the  United States
Pan American Games
|  1971 Cali | 4×100 m relay

Willie Deckard (January 3, 1951 – May 6, 2023) was a track and field athlete that competed as a sprinter at Dorsey High School, LA City College, and USC.[1]

## High school

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June 1968, Deckard (Dorsey High School) won the 220-yard dash at the California State Track and Field Championship.[2][3] Earlier in the season Deckard was the leading L.A. City high school sprinter 9.6 (100) and 21.2 (220), and won the Helms Athletic Foundation L.A. City Athlete of the Year.[4][5]

## College

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May 1969, Deckard (LA City College) was second in the 100-yard dash in the Junior College division at the West Coast Relays[6]

May 1971, Willie Deckard (of USC) assisted USC in defeating UCLA with his 9.2 (100-yard), 20.2 (220-yard), and 4x110 relay performance. The 9.2 and 20.2 were Meet Records.[7][8] The 9.2 was tied for the top World mark in 1971, and the 20.2 was the top American mark in 1971.[9]

May 1971, Deckard set a UW stadium record of 9.4 in the 100-yard dash at the Pacific-8 Track and Field Championship. Deckard won the 100-yard and 220-yard finals.[10]

June 1971, at the NCAA Track and Field Championship, Deckard (USC) set a stadium record (20.5) in a 220-yard heat and was part of the winning 4x110 Relay. Relay team included Lance Babb.[11]

July 1971, Deckard placed 2nd in the 200 meter in the USA vs USSR vs The World Track Meet.[12][13] The meet was part of the USA–USSR Track and Field Dual Meet Series.

Deckard was the leading 1st round qualifier in the 200-meter dash at the 1971 Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia, however he did not finish the final. Later he ran on the bronze medal-winning 4x100 relay that was nipped in a photo finish for the silver by Cuba.

June 1, 1972, Deckard (USC) ran 10.0 (100-meter) and a 20.2 wind aided (200-meter) during the qualification rounds at the NCAA Track and Field Championship in Eugene.[14] USC's 4 × 100 metres relay team (Williams, Brown, Garrison, and Deckard) won at the Championship.[15]

## Post college

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July 1972, Deckard joined the California International Track Club.[16]

July 1, 1972, Deckard ran a 9.9 wind aided 100-meter dash at the 1972 Olympic Trials.[17] Deckard placed 5th in the 200-meter final.

Feb 1973, Deckard won the 60-yard dash at the Seattle Indoor T&F Meet in 6.0 (a new meet record).[18]

May 1973, Deckard won the 220-yard dash in the Invitational Division at the Mt. SAC Relays.[19][20]

May 1976, Deckard ran a 20.6 for the 200-meter dash at an All-Comers Meet at UC Irvine.[21]

Coached track and field at several high schools.

## Honors

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April 2009, Deckard was inducted into the USC Dual Meet Hall of Fame.[22]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Trojan Force, May 7, 2023.[1] Retrieved May 11, 2023
2. ^ "Madera Tribune 3 June 1968 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
3. ^ Calif High School State Championship History, 1968.[2] Retrieved May 7, 2023
4. ^ Helms Annual 1968.[3] Retrieved May 7, 2023
5. ^ "The Los Angeles Times 16 Jun 1968, page 51". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
6. ^ "Oakland Tribune 11 May 1969, page Page 29". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
7. ^ "U.S.C. DOWNS U.C.L.A., SETS 5 MEET MARKS". The New York Times. May 9, 1971. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
8. ^ "The Los Angeles Times 28 Apr 1976, page 51". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
9. ^ International Athletics Annual, 1972, ATFS, World Sports Publication, England, pages 33 and 39. Retrieved May 9, 2023
10. ^ Pacific-12 Meet Results.[4] Retrieved May 7, 2023
11. ^ Nole Fan, Meet Results.[5] Retrieved May 7, 2023
12. ^ "The Manhattan Mercury 04 Jul 1971, page 7". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
13. ^ "Albuquerque Journal 04 Jul 1971, page Page 30". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
14. ^ "Tucson Citizen 02 Jun 1972, page 66". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
15. ^ NCAA Championship Meet History.[6] Retrieved May 7, 2023
16. ^ "The Times Standard 09 Jul 1972, page Page 17". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
17. ^ "The Times Standard 02 Jul 1972, page Page 14". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
18. ^ "The Courier-Journal 05 Feb 1973, page Page 32". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
19. ^ Meet History.[7] Retrieved May 7, 2023
20. ^ "La Verne Leader 03 May 1973, page Page 13". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
21. ^ "Press-Telegram 16 May 1976, page 66". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
22. ^ USC Trojan website, April 28, 2009.[8] Retrieved May 7, 2023

## External links

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* Willie Deckard at World Athletics