Lance Larson swimmer
Olympic gold dispute.
American Swimming Star Lance Larson Dies at Age 83
With 15 meters to go in the 1960 Rome Olympics, American swimming star Lance Larson found himself in a fierce race with Australia’s John Devitt. Both swimmers matched each other stroke for stroke, creating an intense battle for the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle. At the finish line, Larson appeared to edge out Devitt by a fraction of a second, but what followed was one of the most controversial decisions in Olympic history.
The judges checked their stopwatches and discovered a discrepancy. Larson was timed at 55.0, 55.1, and 55.1 seconds, just shy of Devitt’s world record time. However, all three timers in Devitt’s lane had him at 55.2. Despite the timers’ consensus and the belief of spectators that Larson had won, the judges disagreed.
The judges who decided the finishing order were divided. The first-place judges voted 2-1 in favor of Devitt, while the second-place judges also had Devitt as the runner-up. According to the rulebook, the winner should have been determined by the times in case of such a conflict. However, the chief judge, Hans Runströmer of West Germany, made a unilateral decision.
Runströmer changed Larson’s time to 55.2, tying with Devitt, and declared the Australian as the gold medalist. This decision sparked outrage among the American coaches and Larson himself. Photos and video footage showed Runströmer far away from the lanes assigned to Devitt and Larson, casting doubt on his claim of having a clear view. The dimmed lights at the stadium during the race added further skepticism.
The U.S. swimming federation argued that Runströmer had violated the rules with his decision, but their appeals were unsuccessful. The International Olympic Committee and FINA, swimming’s international governing body, upheld Runströmer’s ruling. Larson reluctantly accepted the silver medal at the ceremony, while Devitt applauded him from the gold medal spot.
The controversy surrounding the race had a significant impact on the sport of swimming. An experimental electronic timing system was used in the 1960 Rome Olympics, and its success led to the widespread adoption of electronic timing systems in subsequent Olympic Games. The introduction of these systems aimed to remove any potential variables of human fallibility in judging swimming events.
Lance Larson, born on July 3, 1940, in Monterey Park, California, had a remarkable swimming career. He set multiple records in high school and became the first high school swimmer to finish the 100-yard freestyle in under 50 seconds. At the University of Southern California, Larson continued to break records and set a world record mark in the 100-meter butterfly before the Rome Olympics.
After graduating from USC and studying dentistry at the University of the Pacific, Larson served in the Navy’s Dental Corps. He later opened a dental practice in Orange, California. Larson was married twice and is survived by his children and grandchildren.
Despite the controversy surrounding his Olympic race, Larson managed to reach the gold medal podium in Rome as part of the 4×100-meter medley relay team. The U.S. team set a new world record in this event, solidifying Larson’s place in Olympic history.
The decision in the 1960 Rome Olympics may forever be debated, but it played a significant role in the advancement of electronic timing systems in swimming. Larson’s legacy extends beyond the controversial race, and he will be remembered as a talented and resilient athlete who left his mark on the sport..
1. Lance Larson swimmer lost Olympic gold bitter dispute
2. Lance Larson swimmer died at 83.
