Kathy McMillan: NC's T&F's Greatest Ever?

Kathy McMillan, Hoke County HS, 1976. -- 1976 Montreal Olympics (Silver Medal, Long Jump, 21-10 1/4).  Also on the 1980 team. 4-Time NCHSAA LJ Champion (Meet Record 21-7), 3-Time State 220y Champion, twice 100y Champion. Won 1976 Olympic Trials (22-3w) 6/19, just days after her high school graduation. Her 22-3 National High School Record, set at UCLA June 12, 1976 lasted an incredible 39 years.(!) It was the oldest girls national high school record when it was broken, June 21, 2015 at the New Balance Nationals in Greensboro by Kate Hall of Casco, ME who jumped 22-5 +1.7 (6.83m). McMillan's 22-3 was a U.S. Record at the time. The Raeford, NC native remains #1 (by nearly 3 feet) on the All-Time NC Long Jump list after 40 years. At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, on her 5th jump McMillan was in 6th place. The 5-7 126-lb 18-year old sped down the runway and uncorked a 21-10 1/4 to surge into 2nd and win the Silver Medal.  (I was there, watching in disbelief.) 1976 Olympic Long Jump Results.   College:  Tennessee State University. 1982 article - Charlotte Observer Profiles:   NSSHOF.org,   MileSplit page   Wikipedia   Sports-Reference.com (Photo from Aug. 1975 issue of Women's Track & Field World) (Photo from the cover of Apr. 1976 issue of Women's Track & Field World) (Photo from Jan. 1978 issue of Women's Track World) (Photo from Jan. 1978 issue of Women's Track World) NCHSAA State Meet performances: 1976: 1st - Long Jump 21-7 State Meet Record 1st - 220-yards 24.4 State Meet Record 1st - 100-yards 11.1 1975: 1st - Long Jump 20-2.5 1st - 220-yards 25.4 1st - 100-yards 11.0 1974: 1st - Long Jump 18-0 1st - 220-yards 25.4 1973: 1st - Long Jump 17-7 In 2019, McMillan was inducted into the inaugural class of the North Carolina High School Track & Field/Cross Country Hall of Fame. Kathy McMillan Interview, January 2019 - NCrunners.com A year earlier, McMillan was in the inaugural class of the National High School Track and Field Hall of Fame Kathy McMillan Profile - NationalHighSchoolTrackAndFieldHOF.org

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