'Pioneer' Jim Hines, first man to break the 10-second barrier in the 100m sprint, dies
Olympic gold medallist, Jim Hines, the first man to run a sub 10-second in the 100m sprint, has died aged 76.
World Athletics paid tribute to the track legend, who broke the world record in 1968 when he recorded a hand-timed 9.9 seconds at the US Championships.
He then went on to win gold in the 100m at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, clocking 9.95 seconds to set a world record, which lasted 15 years until Calvin Smith ran 9.93.
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Jim Hines of the USA (left, number 279) wins the 1968 Mexico Olympics 100 metres final. Bettmann Archive
It's the longest anyone has held the 100m world record in the electronic timing era.
Hines also broke the record and won gold as part of the 4x100m relay at the same Olympics.
After his track career, Hines signed to play in the National Football League (NFL) with the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jim Hines, known as the fastest man alive in the1968 Olympics. MediaNews Group via Getty Images
"World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that legendary US sprinter Jim Hines died on Saturday," the governing body said in a statement.
