Jim Hines broke the world record and days later his career in athletics went down in history. In times still of amauterism, he decided to sign a contract with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL in American football to earn a better living and later he would also sign another contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. But if Hines is remembered for something, it’s because he became the first man to break the 10-second barrier in the 100-meter dash. At the time of his death, since he died on Saturday at the age of 76, it is worth remembering the importance of his figure.
As a child he played baseball but made it compatible with athletics. In times of manual chronographs, Hines dropped below 10 seconds, but his mark was not approved until he managed to do it at the 68 Mexico Games, the first with electronic time taking.
His record, of 9.95 seconds, remained in force as a world record for more than 14 years, until in 1983 it was lowered by Calvin Smith. It currently remains the longest-standing 100-meter record. Usain Bolt’s, achieved in Berlin 2009, has not yet turned 14 years old.
Hines became a double Olympic champion in Mexico 68, since he added the gold medal in the 4×100 relay to the 100m. He did not agree with the claim of ‘black power’, the protest gesture of African-American athletes on the podium of the Games, and two weeks later he hung up his shoes.
He was only 22 years old and he thought that in American football he had a great career ahead of him. But after a year on the reserve team, he only played 10 games with the Dolphins and one after that with the Chiefs. The track lost a bullet but he will always stick with his name as a pioneer. The border of the 10s will always bear his name.
