Track and field boasts a rich history, attracting numerous elite athletes who sacrificed a lot in life to secure their position at the top. One such legend was Dallas Long, who recently passed away at the age of 84 due to natural causes this November 10. While he isn’t anymore with us, his legacy extended beyond track and field as a sportsman who had other successful endeavors in his life. 

The track and field community is deeply saddened by the passing of such a great talent, as seen in World Athletics’ X post. Multiple times in his professional career, he has made the United States proud by presenting the nation on international stages like the Olympic Games. And even if he stood at the top step of the podium many times, he never shied away from helping people by pursuing a medical degree.

Gone but not forgotten

An athletic legend will always be known due to their special stints in the sport, and once all of their glory days are gone, in retirement they live a life performing all the tasks that they once wished to do. But what made Dallas Long different from your average Olympic champion? 

The answer lies in the fact that Long’s passion extended beyond being a competitive athlete throughout his life. And, once he retired from his athletic duties after the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, he pursued one of his interests, which was being a dentist. The athlete returned to get his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Southern California, where he was an NCAA athlete. 

Later on, Long continued to thrive in the medical field, as he earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He started off his medical career as a dentist, then became a doctor as he practiced emergency medicine. However, coming back to his professional track and field career, Long was an absolute beast in shot put.

The athlete’s first Olympic medal came in 1960, which was a bronze in the Rome Games. But this medal had more value than just being his first individual Olympic medal, as on the podium the crowd saw an American lockout, featuring Long, Bill Nieder, and Parry O’Brien. The shot put finals of that year’s Olympic Games were also interesting as these three athletes broke the world record five times, with Nieder coming out on top with a 19.68, followed by O’Brien with a 19.11, and Long with a 19.01. 

During the seasons until the next Games, Long was engaged in many events and even got his hand on the world record a few times. In 1964, prior to the Tokyo Olympics, the American was the favorite to take gold, as at the US Olympic Trials he was able to showcase his prowess with a 19.74 throw. And did he win his career’s first Olympic gold medal? He absolutely did, but was also challenged by fellow American athlete Randy Matson. Both of these athletes gave their best, and the crowd saw a Team USA 1-2 on the podium. While his professional shot put career was top-notch, it did stem from a well-established NCAA career.

Dallas Long’s rise to track and field domination

Before his Olympic glory, Dallas Long was making noise in the shot put scene with his skills. He attended the North Phoenix High School in Phoenix, and in 1958 was given the High School Athlete of the Year title by Track & Field News. But what was the reason for getting this award? Long was just 17 years old, and he set a national prep record of 69-3.125 with the 12-pound implement and throwing the 16-pound international implement 61-0.5.

The prodigy’s first world record came in 1959 when he secured a mark of 19.25 at the Easter Relays in Santa Barbara. Being at USC made him a prominent athlete out there, as he was challenged by many of his own teammates in competitions. Later on, he also secured three NCAA titles with the university in consecutive years, which were in 1960, 1961, and 1962, propelling him to become a shot put celebrity. As he did so much for USC, they also put him in the Hall of Fame in 2003.