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United States at the 1968 Summer Olympics

Sporting event delegation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

United States at the 1968 Summer Olympics
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The United States competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. 357 competitors, 274 men and 83 women, took part in 167 events in 18 sports.[1]

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Medalists

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The United States finished first in the final medal rankings, with 45 gold and 107 total medals.

The following U.S. competitors won medals at the games. In the discipline sections below, the medalists' names are bolded.

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a Athletes who participated in the heats only.

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Athletics

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Key

  • Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
  • Q = Qualified for the next round
  • q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target

Track and road events
Men

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Women

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Field events
Men

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Women

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Combined event – Men's decathlon

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Combined event – Women's pentathlon

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Basketball

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Summary

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Roster

The roster was led by future NBA All-Stars Haywood (19 years old) and White (21 years old), who led the team in scoring, with an average of 16.3 points and 11.7 points respectively.[3] Haywood was the youngest player to make the USA basketball team at the time.

USA Basketball also selected 6 alternates to the U.S. squad; Tom Black of the Goodyear Wingfoots, George Carter of the US Army, Joe Hamilton of Christian College of the Southwest (TX) Junior College, Dan Issel of the University of Kentucky, Rick Mount of Purdue University and Charlie Paulk of Northeastern Oklahoma College.[4]

Notably absent from the squad or the list of alternates were Pete Maravich, who led the NCAA in scoring during his sophomore season at LSU and would go on to set the NCAA career scoring record of 3,667 points, and reigning NCAA Champion and Player of the Year Lew Alcindor, who chose not to try out for the Olympic team in protest at the treatment of African Americans in the United States, stating that he was "trying to point out to the world the futility of winning the gold medal for this country and then coming back to live under oppression."[5] Some of other NCAA stars, such as Elvin Hayes, Wes Unseld, Bob Lanier and Calvin Murphy, were also absent. As such, the Americans were severely weakened.

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Boxing

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Canoeing

Men

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Women

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Qualification Legend: QF = Qualify to final; SF = Qualify to semifinal; R = Qualify to repechage

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Cycling

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Fifteen cyclists represented the United States in 1968.

Road

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Track

Pursuit

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Sprint

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Time trial

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Diving

Men

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Women

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Equestrian

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Dressage

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Eventing

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Jumping

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Fencing

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20 fencers represented the United States in 1968.

Men

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Women

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Gymnastics

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Men
All-around

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Women
All-around

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Apparatus

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Modern pentathlon

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Three pentathletes represented the United States in 1968.

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Rowing

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Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); SF=Semifinal; R=Repechage

Sailing

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Shooting

Twelve shooters represented the United States in 1968. Gary Anderson won gold in the 300 m rifle, three positions, John Writer won silver in the 50 m rifle, three positions, and Thomas Garrigus won silver in the trap.

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Swimming

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Men

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Women

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a Swimmers who participated in the heats only.

Volleyball

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Summary

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Men's tournament

  • Round robin
  • Defeated Soviet Union (3-2)
  • Lost to Czechoslovakia (1-3)
  • Defeated Brazil (3-0)
  • Lost to Bulgaria (2-3)
  • Lost to Poland (0-3)
  • Lost to East Germany (0-3)
  • Lost to Japan (0-3)
  • Defeated Mexico (3-1)
  • Defeated Belgium (3-0) → Seventh place
  • Team roster
  • Head coach: Jim Coleman

Women's tournament

  • Round robin
  • Lost to Japan (0-3)
  • Lost to Czechoslovakia (1-3)
  • Lost to Poland (0-3)
  • Lost to South Korea (1-3)
  • Lost to Soviet Union (1-3)
  • Lost to Peru (1-3)
  • Lost to Mexico (0-3) → 8th and last place

Water polo

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Summary

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Team Competition
  • Preliminary round (group A)
  • Defeated Brazil (10:5)
  • Defeated Spain (10:7)
  • Tied with Cuba (6:6)
  • Lost to Hungary (1:5)
  • Lost to Soviet Union (3:8)
  • Defeated West Germany (7:5)
  • Classification Matches
  • 5th/8th place: Defeated Netherlands (6:3)
  • 5th/6th place: Defeated East Germany (6:4) → 5th place
  • Team roster

Weightlifting

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Wrestling

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Key:

  • TF – Victory by fall.
  • SP - Win by technical superiority
  • PP - Win by technical points
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References

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