Terry Todd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Terry Todd
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| Born | January 1, 1938 Austin, Texas, U.S.
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| Died | July 7, 2018 (aged 80) Austin, Texas, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Texas, Austin |
| Occupation | powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, historian |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Spouse(s) |
Jan Todd
(m. 1973) |
| Competition record | ||
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| Powerlifting | ||
Representing  United States |
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| AAU US National Championships | ||
| 1st | 1964 | +90kg |
| 1st | 1965 | +90kg |
| 2nd | 1966 | +90kg |
| Olympic weightlifting | ||
| Representing United States |
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| Junior National Weightlifting Championships | ||
| 1st | 1963 | +90kg |
Terry Todd (born December 31, 1937, died July 7, 2018) was an amazing American athlete. He was a champion in both powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting. He also helped create the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports. This center is a huge collection of items about physical fitness and sports history. Terry Todd also helped start the Arnold Strongman Classic, a big competition for strongmen.
Besides his sports career, Todd was a journalist for Sports Illustrated magazine. He also worked as a sports commentator. You might have heard his voice on CBS, NBC, ESPN, or National Public Radio.
Contents
Learning and Early Sports
Terry Todd went to Travis High School in Austin, Texas. He was a member of the school's tennis team. After high school, he started weight training. He wanted to make his left arm as strong as his right, which he used for tennis. He later earned a doctorate degree from the University of Texas, Austin.
Terry Todd's Athletic Achievements
Todd started lifting weights in 1956. He won the Junior Nationals in Olympic weightlifting in 1963. After that, he switched to powerlifting. He won the first two national powerlifting championships. These wins were in 1964 and 1965. He competed as a superheavyweight, meaning he was in the heaviest weight class.
At the 1965 Nationals, Terry Todd made history. He became the first person to squat more than 700 pounds in a competition. He squatted 710 pounds while weighing 335 pounds himself. He stopped competing in 1967.
His best official lifts were:
- Squat - 720 pounds
- Bench press - 515 pounds
- Deadlift - 742 pounds
Helping Powerlifting Grow
Terry Todd played a big part in developing women's powerlifting. He helped his wife, Jan Todd, organize the first national women's powerlifting meet in 1977. He also coached the Canadian women's team with Jan from 1976 to 1979.
In 1979, Todd joined the United States Powerlifting Federation's Executive Committee. He worked hard to get the women's committee more independence. However, he left the organization when he couldn't convince them to test athletes for steroids. After this, he continued to commentate on powerlifting events for TV channels like NBC and CBS.
In 1977, Todd wrote Inside Powerlifting, the first major book about the sport. He also wrote articles for magazines like Muscular Development and Iron Man. His articles in Sports Illustrated helped introduce powerlifting to more people. He wrote about famous lifters like Lamar Gant and Bill Kazmaier.
Later Life and Legacy
After he stopped competing, Terry Todd became a college professor in 1967. He taught at several universities before returning to the University of Texas in 1983.
In 1990, Terry and his wife, Jan, started the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports. This center is located at The University of Texas in Austin. It holds a huge collection of books, photos, films, and other items about physical culture. Terry Todd was the director of this center for many years.
In 2001, Arnold Schwarzenegger asked Todd to create a Strongman contest. This contest became part of the annual Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio.
Personal Life
Terry Todd lived with his wife Jan on a large cattle ranch. It was located on the San Marcos River. They had many animals, including peacocks, a draft horse, cattle, donkeys, a dog, an emu, and cats.
Terry Todd passed away on July 7, 2018, in Austin, Texas, at age 80. Arnold Schwarzenegger shared a message on Twitter, calling Todd "a true force, but also a kind heart and a great storyteller."
Images for kids
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Terry Todd, a champion powerlifter and Olympic weightlifter.
