Illini 411: Who was the U of I’s first Olympic gold medalist?
Question courtesy of Andrew Ross, ’10 ACES
Charles Reidpath, Edward Lindberg, James Meredith and Melvin Sheppard, 1912 (Image courtesy of Public Domain) Question courtesy of Andrew Ross, ’10 ACES
A: Edward F. Lindberg, 1909 ENG. At the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm—the fifth modern games, since their start in 1896—Lindberg was part of the world record-setting 4 x 400 meter U.S. relay team and also earned a bronze medal in the individual 400 meter race. As a U of I student, he was “the best quarter-miler the Orange and Blue ever had,” according to the Illio yearbook.
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