Rafer Lewis Johnson was an American decathlete and film actor. He was the 1960 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon, having won silver in 1956. He had previously won a gold in the 1955 Pan American Games. He was the USA team's flag bearer at the 1960 Olympics and lit the Olympic cauldron at the Los Angeles Games in 1984.
Johnson at the 1960 Olympics
Johnson at the 1972 Special Olympics
Johnson at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome
Johnson in 2016.
The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of 10 track and field events. The word "decathlon" was formed, in analogy to the word "pentathlon", from Greek δέκα and ἄθλος. Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not by the position achieved. The decathlon is contested mainly by male athletes, while female athletes typically compete in the heptathlon.
Image: Michael Smith Decathlon 400meters
Image: Men decathlon PV French Athletics Championships 2013 t 142927
Image: Rico Freimuth 2012 Hypo meeting
Image: Michael Smith Decathlon 400meters