The history of sport is written through individual milestones. And Jim Hines will always remain as the pioneer who fell below the magic figure of 10 seconds in the 100-meter dash.. The American, who has died at the age of 76, achieved it in the Olympic Games of Mexico 1968, those who are mainly remembered for Bob Beamon’s 8.90 in the long jump, Dick Fosbury’s innovation in the high jump and the ‘black power’ podium in the 400 with Tommie Smith and John Carlos giving a lesson in freedom to the world they also saw the sprinter stopping the timer at 9.95 (+0.3 m/s wind), a time that lasted almost fifteen years until his compatriot Calvin Smith did 9.93 in 1983.
Hines achieved gold, in addition to the 4×100 with 38.2 (also a planetary record), and his feat remained forever as a pioneering achievement that was later lowered to, for the moment, 9.58 by Jamaican Usain Bolt in Berlin 2009. The North American, born on September 10, 1946 in Dumas (Arkansas), already did 9.9 manuals in Sacramento but it was not until Mexico, when he was 22 years old, when electric timing made his feat official.
Following his success, Hines, whose talent for speed was discovered playing baseball, He did not go to any Games again and practically abandoned athletics to join the Miami Dolphins of the NFL in American football. Then he defended the Kansas City Chiefs jersey in a professional career that took a nosedive but that brought him financial benefits much greater than those he could have pocketed just by running. After giving up soccer he dedicated himself to oil rigs in Houston.