Medal record Alvin Kraenzlein Men's athletics Competitor for the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1900 Paris 60 metres Gold 1900 Paris 110 metre hurdles Gold 1900 Paris 200 metres hurdles Gold 1900 Paris Long jump Alvin Christian Kraenzlein (December 12, 1876 – January 6, 1928) was an American athlete. He was the first sportsman to win four Olympic titles in a single Olympic Games. As of 2008[update], he is still the only track and field athlete to have done so in individual events only. Kraenzlein was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, son of John Kraenzlein and Augusta, and attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison and later the University of Pennsylvania,1 studying to become a dentist. He won his first athletics title in 1897, when he won the 220 yards hurdles race at the Amateur Athletic Union championships. The next few years he gained many more titles, winning 5 AAU titles in both hurdling and long jump events, and 8 Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America titles in sprinting, hurdling and the long jump. Kraenzlein was especially noted for his hurdling technique, as he was the first to practice the now common method of straight-lead-leg (the first leg over the hurdle remains straight and parallel with the ground). This technique is significant in that it enables the athlete to over-come the hurdle without reducing speed.

In 1900, Kraenzlein prepared for the Olympics in England, winning the British title in the 120 yards hurdles and the long jump before entering the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. There, he won four titles: the 60 metres, the 110 metres hurdles, the 200 metres hurdles and the long jump. In the 60 metres, he ran both the preliminary and final in 7.0 seconds, defeating John Tewksbury by bare inches in the final. He became the most successful athlete at the 1900 Olympics. His victory in the long jump was remarkable, as he beat silver medallist Meyer Prinstein only by a single centimeter. Prinstein's mark had been set in the qualification, and he did not attend the final, because it was held on a Sunday. The two had had an informal agreement not to compete on Sunday, and when Prinstein learned that Kraenzlein had competed he became violent, punching Kraenzlein according to some accounts (others claim that Prinstein was restrained before he could land the punch). Coach Kraenzlein of Michigan, 1911

Kraenzlein retired from athletic competition in late 1900, as the owner of 6 world records. He had completed a degree in dentistry from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1902, having returned to Philadelphia, he went on to be a dentist and manager of the Milwaukee Athletic Association. He also married Claudine Gilman. In 1906 he became the track-and-field coach at Mercersburg Academy, and in 1910 he also became the professor of physical training. Amongst his students was Ralph Craig who would become a future Olympian title holder. In 1913 he signed a $50,000 deal to prepare the 1916 German Olympic team (this, however, was canceled due to the outbreak of World War I). With World War I coming, Kraenzlein served the U.S. army as a physical training specialist. When the war ended, he became coach of the University of Pennsylvania team until late 1927 when he was afflicted with pleurisy and died early 1928 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. See also List of Michigan Wolverines football trainers References ^ Michiganensian. [1911] External links International Olympic Committee profile v · d · eOlympic champions in men's 60 m 1900: Alvin Kraenzlein • 1904: Archie Hahn v · d · eOlympic Champions in Men's 110 m Hurdles

1896: Thomas Curtis (USA)  • 1900: Alvin Kraenzlein (USA)  • 1904: Frederick Schule (USA)  • 1908: Forrest Smithson (USA)  • 1912: Frederick Kelly (USA)  • 1920: Earl Thomson (CAN)  • 1924: Daniel Kinsey (USA)  • 1928: Sydney Atkinson (RSA)  • 1932: George Saling (USA)  • 1936: Forrest Towns (USA)  • 1948: William Porter (USA)  • 1952: Harrison Dillard (USA)  • 1956: Lee Calhoun (USA)  • 1960: Lee Calhoun (USA)  • 1964: Hayes Jones (USA)  • 1968: Willie Davenport (USA)  • 1972: Rod Milburn (USA)  • 1976: Guy Drut (FRA)  • 1980: Thomas Munkelt (GDR)  • 1984: Roger Kingdom (USA)  • 1988: Roger Kingdom (USA)  • 1992: Mark McKoy (CAN)  • 1996: Allen Johnson (USA)  • 2000: Anier García (CUB)  • 2004: Liu Xiang (CHN)  • 2008: Dayron Robles (CUB) v · d · eOlympic champions in men's 200 m hurdles 1900: Alvin Kraenzlein • 1904: Harry Hillman v · d · eOlympic Champions in Men's Long Jump

 1896: Ellery Harding Clark (USA)  •  1900: Alvin Kraenzlein (USA)  •  1904: Myer Prinstein (USA)  •  1908: Frank Irons (USA)  •  1912: Albert Gutterson (USA)  •  1920: William Petersson (SWE)  •  1924: William DeHart Hubbard (USA)  •  1928: Ed Hamm (USA)  •  1932: Ed Gordon (USA)  •  1936: Jesse Owens (USA)  •  1948: Willie Steele (USA)  •  1952: Jerome Biffle (USA)  •  1956: Greg Bell (USA)  •  1960: Ralph Boston (USA)  •  1964: Lynn Davies (GBR)  •  1968: Bob Beamon (USA)  •  1972: Randy Williams (USA)  •  1976: Arnie Robinson (USA)  •  1980: Lutz Dombrowski (GDR)  •  1984: Carl Lewis (USA)  •  1988: Carl Lewis (USA)  •  1992: Carl Lewis (USA)  •  1996: Carl Lewis (USA)  •  2000: Iván Pedroso (CUB)  •  2004: Dwight Phillips (USA)  •  2008: Irving Saladino (PAN) Persondata Name Kraenzlein, Alvin Alternative names Short description Date of birth December 12, 1876 Place of birth Date of death January 6, 1928 Place of death