William Bruce Jenner (born October 28, 1949 in Mount Kisco, New York) is a former U.S. track and field athlete, motivational speaker, socialite, and television personality, known principally for winning the decathlon in the 1976 Summer Olympics. Bruce Jenner attended Newtown High School in Newtown, Connecticut, from Sleepy Hollow High School in North Tarrytown, New York. Jenner earned a football scholarship and attended Graceland College (now Graceland University), but a knee injury forced him to stop playing football and switch to the decathlon.

He was mentored by Graceland's track coach L.D. Weldon, who was the first to recognize Jenner's potential and encouraged him to pursue the decathlon. Jenner debuted in the decathlon at the Drake Relays in 1970- placing sixth. Jenner placed third in the decathlon at the 1972 U.S. Olympic trials, and finished in tenth place at the 1972 Munich games.

In 1974 and 1976, he was the American champion in the event, and he won a gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics, setting a world record of 8,634 points. Jenner was handed a large American flag from a bystander in the audience as he spontaneously ran a celebratory victory lap, a gesture that has been emulated frequently since that time by athletes in other sports from countries around the world[citation needed]. He was the 1976 recipient of the James E.

Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States. Jenner was also the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year in 1976. He was inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame and Connecticut Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

Similar to 0 things you like: