Former Olympic, USC Sprint Champion Mel Patton Dies At 89

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Mel Patton, a double gold medal-winning sprinter at the 1948 London Olympics and a five-time NCAA champion, has died. He was 89.

Southern California said Wednesday that he died May 9 in Fallbrook, California, near San Diego.

Patton set world records in the 100- and 220-yard dashes. He ran a world-record time of 9.3 seconds in the 100 in 1948, and he ran 20.2 seconds in the 220 on a straightaway in 1949 to break Jesse Owens' world mark. His time in the 100 still ranks second on USC's all-time list and his 220 time remains a school mark.

He won the 200 and was on the gold medal-winning 400-meter relay in London. He finished fifth in the 100, and ranked first in the world in the event in 1947 and 1949. He owned the No. 1 world ranking in the 200 from 1947-49.