Phyllis Randolph

[DoubleRBar]

Happy birthday today (Monday) to an Olympic champion who is 85.

This athlete won two Olympic gold medals within two days, but not in the hurdles.

Something big happened to our birthday person just days after winning those gold medals.

Our birthday athlete had to compete in the semi-finals and the finals on the same day at the Olympics.

The name of our mystery athlete lives on even today.

Please name our birthday athlete on this first Monday of 2019.

[Trickstat]

Because of the semi-finals and finals on the same day clue I think it might be Charles/Charlie Jenkins who won the 400m & 4x400m at Melbourne in 1956. I think when Otis Davis and Carl Kaufman broke the WR in 1960 it was the first time that the final was held on a separate day.

[DoubleRBar]

Happy birthday today to Charlie Jenkins (85) and nice work, Trickstat. You are right. He did win the Melbourne 400 (semi-finals & final on same day) and two days later he ran the third leg (45.5) on the winning four by 400 relay team. Very good.

[midwestfan]

Charley Jenkins, an idol to Nova fans married Miss Randolph weeks after his gold medals. He succeeded Jumbo Elliott as Nova coach and their son Chip also won gold medal in 1600m Relay.

[DoubleRBar]

Well said, midwestfan.