John Powell

John Gates Powell (June 25, 1947 – August 19, 2022) was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the discus throw. He set a world record at 69.08 meters in 1975, and his personal best of 71.26 meters ties him for ninth place in the all-time performers list.

Powell was born in San Francisco, California, on June 25, 1947.

Powell graduated from San Jose State University and served with the San Jose Police Department for seven years. He left the police department to focus on his throwing career.[1]

Powell was a four-time member of the American Olympic Team. Powell finished fourth at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, won a bronze medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, and was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team which did not compete in the USSR due to the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott. He did however receive one of 461 Congressional Gold Medals created especially for the athletes. He won the bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Some track and field competitions in 1987 appear to have been Powell's last ones on the international level. Powell ran several annual weight-throwing camps with his fellow Olympian weight throwers. Powell also coached a few of his young champion-level throwers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, nearly every week. Powell also coached the throwers at Stanford University from 1981 to 1990.

In 2019, he was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Powell died on August 19, 2022, at the age of 75.

• Fourth with 62.82 in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich
• First with 62.37 in the 1975 Pan American Games
• Third with 65.70 in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal
• Third with 65.46 in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
• Second with 66.22 in the 1987 World Championships in Athletics in Rome

Powell is a seven time US-champion in Discus throw in 1974, 1975, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987