Aug. 13, 2009 – This week marks the 25th anniversary of Bulldog great Ray Armstead’s Olympic gold medal victory as part of the 4x400 meter relay team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. It is the only gold medal won by university student-athlete to date.
Armstead ran the second leg of the finals with Sunder Nix, Alonzo Babers and Antonio McKay and turned in a time of 43.97. The foresome completed the race in 2:57.91, the second fastest time ever and the fastest at the altitude at that time.
They defeated Great Britain in just under two seconds to capture the gold medal on August 11, 1984.
Armstead was inducted into the Truman Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994 after earning all-American honors three times during his collegiate career. He was a three time conference indoor and outdoor champion in the 400 and still holds Truman records in the 600 yard indoor race and 400 meter outdoor race.