Feb. 12, 2006

MIAMI, Fla. - Sprint star Larry Black, who won two medals at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, died Wednesday of an aneurysm. He was 54.

Black won a gold medal for running the lead leg of Team USA's winning 4x400m relay squad in Munich, where he also captured the silver medal in the 200 meters in 20.19 seconds.

A star at North Carolina Central University, Black earned collegiate All-America honors on 11 occasions, and won the NCAA outdoor 220-yard title in 1971. He also won NAIA outdoor titles in 1971 (220-yd.) and 1972 (200m), and the NAIA indoor 60-yard dash crown in 1974.

Born on July 20, 1951, in Miami, Fla., Black set the NAIA Championship meet record in the 200m dash in 1972 (20.0 seconds) to help the Eagles win the 1972 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championship in Billings, Montana.  His record still stands today.

As a member of a relay team, Black won national championships in the 1970 NCAA outdoor 440-yard relay and the 1972 NAIA 4x100m (39.5 seconds) and 4x400m (3:04.8 minutes) relays. Both relay times still stand as meet records for hand timing.  For his efforts, he was selected as the 1972 NAIA Championships Herbert B. Marett Outstanding Performer.

A personal trainer in Coral Gables, Florida, for more than 10 years, Black is survived by his wife Cherese, four daughters and two grandsons.