Posted: 7:01 PM Aug 4, 2012
Reporter: Alisa Reif

VIDEO: Local 82 Year Old Silver Medalist 11pm 8/4/2012

Posted: Saturday, August 4, 2012 -- 8:50p.m.

An 82-year-old Middleton man relives the moment he was handed a silver medal.

Whether it be the football field or track, from an early age, John Bennett was hard to beat. He's no stranger to breaking records. In 1954, he had the longest jump in the world at 25 feet 10 3/4 inches. He also won the NCAA title in the long jump twice.

But he wasn't satisfied with that. He kept practicing and after years of hard work he finally got the winning form down. Overnight he got things together and bettered his best long jump. He became the best college jumper in the nation.

After hard work, Bennett made the USA Olympic team. In 1956, he found himself standing in front of thousands at the Melbourne, Australia Olympic games. There he won a silver medal for the long jump. It's an opportunity he'll cherish for the rest of his life.

Bennett still holds the Marquette University record in both the indoor and outdoor long jump events.

WMTV Mobile Home

Gray Television, Inc - Copyright 2002-2012 - Powered by Gray Interactive Media

Full Site