Rodney Milburn

Medal record Men’s AthleticsCompetitor for United States Olympic GamesGold 1972 Munich 110 m hurdles

Rodney ("Rod") Milburn, Jr. (March 18, 1950 – November 11, 1997) was an American athlete who won gold at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich in the 110m hurdles.

1 Career
2 Later life
3 See also
4 References

Career

During the early 1970s, Milburn dominated the 110m hurdles, setting or tying the world record five times. After going through 1971 undefeated, including winning the 110m hurdles event at the 1971 Pan-American Games, the Opelousas, Louisiana athlete earned the nickname "Hot Rod", and was awarded the Track and Field News Athlete of the Year Award. At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Milburn won the gold medal in the 110m hurdles in a new world record time of 13.24 seconds, finishing ahead of Guy Drut and Thomas Hill.

Milburn hoped for an Olympic comeback in 1980, but was ruled ineligible to compete at the United States Olympic Track and Field Trials for having previously competed as a professional.

Later life

Milburn spent some time coaching young athletes at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but often found himself without a job. The "Hot Rod's" life went quickly downhill, and he ended up in a homeless shelter. Milburn died after being overcome by sodium chlorate fumes while working at a paper plant in Port Hudson, Louisiana.

His death came as a huge shock to a track and field community that vividly remembered his achievements on the track.