Athletes with apropos names

[18.99s]

Last night Serena Williams lost to Naomi Osaka in the semifinal of the Australian Open, making her yet again fall short of Margaret Court's 24 Grand Slam titles.

Margaret Court -- tennis!

Which other athletes have names related to their sport?

Is there an arm wrestler out there named Armstrong? A sprinter named Speed?

A basketball player named Dunkin? Yes! Tony Dunkin played 4 seasons for Coastal Carolina, was named conference player of the year all 4 seasons, but never made it to the NBA. He spent some time in the CBA and Europe before retiring.

Who else can you think of? Athletes who specifically changed their name to match something about their sport don't count.

[gh]

I'm sure you'll find at least one thread on this in historical forum, if not here, but in the '70s there was a delightful conglomeration of "world-class high jumpers who could jump off themselves":

Dwight Stones
Tom Woods
Benn Fields
Juri Tarmak

(may have been one more)

[18.99s]

James Jett: sprinter, 1992 Olympics 4x100m gold medalist and wide receiver in the NFL

Nathan Leeper: high jumper, 2000 Olympics

[wamego relays champ]

I'm sure you'll find at least one thread on this in historical forum, if not here

Yes, they have mostly been suggested within the numerous "Favorite Names" threads, including this one that included my favorite, hurdler Marina Stepanova.

https://forum.trackandfieldnews.com/...at-track-names

[proofs in the pudd'in]

The obvious one - Bolt!

[Tuariki]

Luz Long, long jump, Berlin 1936

[KevinR]

Carmelita Jeter?

[Chicago]

Canadian Olympic distance runner Nancy Tinari. Her last name spelled backwards is "I ran it."

[Grasshopper]

How about Just'N Thymes (https://usctrojans.com/sports/track-...-n-thymes/5828)

[18.99s]

Miles Batty, a miler who ran 3:54.54 indoors

[Tuariki]

Miles Batty, a miler who ran 3:54.54 indoors

Yep, that's the one.
You gotta be Batty to want to run all those miles
Says the avowed field eventer

[wamego relays champ]

Luz Long, long jump, Berlin 1936

Of course, when he took up the event it was called the Broad Jump.

[JayIsMe]

I've always thought wide receiver Fair Hooker was in the wrong sport- should have been a golfer.

[Tuariki]

Of course, when he took up the event it was called the Broad Jump.

If there was ever a misogynistic name for an athletic event, this was it.

[lonewolf]

If there was ever a misogynistic name for an athletic event, this was it.

I don't remember when the Broad Jump became the Long Jump but when we competed in the Broad Jump 70 years ago, I don't recall that ever crossed my mind until the name was changed. . BTW, who changed the name?