Vincent Matthews (athlete) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Vince Matthews

Personal information
Born	(1947-12-16) December 16, 1947 (age 77) Queens, New York, United States
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	81 kg (179 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	200 m, 400 m
Club	BOHAA Club
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	200 m – 20.7 (1972) 400 m – 44.66 (1972)
Medal record Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1968 Mexico City 4×400 m relay Gold 1972 Munich 400 m Pan American Games Gold 1967 Winnipeg 4×400 m relay Silver 1967 Winnipeg 400 m

Vincent "Vince" Edward Matthews (born December 16, 1947) is an American former sprinter. A sprinter is a person who runs short distances very fast. He won two gold medals at the Olympic Games. These wins happened at the 1968 Summer Olympics and the 1972 Summer Olympics.

Vince Matthews' Running Career

Vince Matthews was one of the best African American long-distance sprinters in the mid-1960s. He had a strong competition with Lee Evans, who also became an Olympic champion. They first raced against each other when they were teenagers. In 1967, they competed several times. Lee Evans often won, including at the AAU Championships and the Pan American Games.

Before the Olympic Trials in 1968, Matthews set a new world record in the 400-meter race. His time was 44.4 seconds. However, this record was not officially accepted. This was because he used special "brush spikes" on his running shoes that were not allowed. At the Olympic Trials, he finished fourth. This meant he did not make the top three to qualify for the individual 400m race. Lee Evans, Larry James, and Ron Freeman finished ahead of him.

At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, Matthews was part of the United States team. He ran the first part of the 4 × 400-meter relay race. His team won the gold medal. They also set a new world record of 2 minutes and 56.16 seconds. This record lasted for 20 years.

The 1972 Olympics in Munich

After the 1968 Olympics, Matthews took a year off from track and field. He was busy with work and getting married. But he worked hard to get back into shape. He aimed to compete in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.

At the 400-meter Olympic Trials, Matthews finished third. John Smith and Wayne Collett finished ahead of him. His old rival, Lee Evans, finished fourth. In the Olympic final, John Smith started strong but had to stop. He hurt his leg after only 80 meters. The race then became a close fight between Matthews and Collett. Matthews won the gold medal with a time of 44.66 seconds. Collett won the silver medal with 44.80 seconds.

Medal Ceremony Events

The celebration of their win was affected by what happened during the medal ceremony. Matthews and Collett were talking and moving around while the US national anthem played. Many people thought this was a protest, similar to what Tommie Smith and John Carlos did in 1968.

The Associated Press news agency said their behavior was "disrespectful." They described how Collett jumped onto the stand next to Matthews. Both stood sideways to the flag. They twirled their medals and did not stand straight. They also did not look at the flag. When the anthem finished, people in the crowd made noise. Collett then raised a clenched fist to the crowd.

Robert Markus, a reporter, wrote about it in the Chicago Tribune newspaper. He said Matthews was upset with the coach, Bill Bowerman. Matthews felt the coach had tried to remove him from the 400-meter race. He was also upset because he had to train alone in bad places. He had to travel a lot to find good competition. Some reporters had also said he was not helping America's chances to win all the 400-meter medals.

The Chicago Tribune also reported what Matthews said. He explained that his and Collett's actions were aimed at the US coaching staff. He said it was not against the flag or the national anthem. "We were just mad about a lot of things," he said. "We didn't think it would blow up like this." He added that he was not truly sorry for what he did. He was sorry for how people reacted to it. He said it was not planned.

However, Wayne Collett gave an interview after the ceremony. He told the American Broadcasting Company that the national anthem meant nothing to him. He explained he could not honor the anthem. This was because of the struggles faced by African Americans at that time. "I couldn't stand there and sing the words because I don't believe they're true," he said. "I wish they were. I believe we have the potential to have a beautiful country, but I don't think we do."

Because of their actions, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned both athletes. They were not allowed to compete in future Olympic Games. John Smith had hurt his leg in the 400-meter final. This meant the USA was missing three runners for the 4 × 400-meter relay. So, the US team could not compete in that event.

In March 1973, Matthews and Collett were on the cover of Track and Field News magazine. The article was titled "All Gold Does Not Glitter."

Personal Life

Vince Matthews is also an artist. He creates pictures by burning images onto wood panels. This art form is called pyrography. His artworks are shown with the Art of the Olympians. This group displays art made by Olympic athletes.

See also

In Spanish: Vincent Matthews para niños