Dudley Wilkins

Dudley Griffin Wilkins (November 11, 1914 – February 1989) was an American triple jumper. He was United States champion in 1934 and placed eighth at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Biography

Wilkins was born in Crowley, Louisiana on November 11, 1914.^[1] He won the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) national triple jump championship in 1934 with a jump of 48 ft 21⁄100 in (14.69 m).^[2] At the 1936 Olympic Trials Wilkins placed second with 49 ft 1+1⁄2 in (14.97 m), qualifying for the American team together with Rolland Romero and Billy Brown; all three were from Louisiana, which had been America's leading triple jump state since the late 1920s.^{[3]: 83–84 [4]} At the Olympics in Berlin Wilkins placed eighth, reaching 14.83 m (48 ft 7+3⁄4 in) in both the first and the third round and fouling in round two; he did not qualify for the last three rounds.^[1]

Wilkins set his personal best, 49 ft 9 in (15.16 m), in Baton Rouge on May 4, 1935.^[5] He died in Crowley in February 1989.^[1]

References

1. "Dudley Wilkins Bio, Stats and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
2. Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian; Track & Field News. "History of US Nationals Results: Triple Jump - Men". Track & Field News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
3. Hymans, Richard (2008). "The History of the United States Olympic Trials – Track & Field" (PDF). USA Track & Field. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 20, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
4. "Rolland Romero". Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
5. "Dudley Wilkins". Track and Field Statistics. Retrieved November 29, 2015.