4
GOLD
0
SILVER
0
BRONZE
Athlete Bio#
Age
Died (Aged 51)
1876-1928
Hometown
Milwaukee, WI
Education
East Side High School (Madison, Wis.) University of Wisconsin; University of Pennsylvania
Personal
Considered the father of the modern hurdling technique...Was the first athlete to win four individual gold medals at a single Olympic Games...Held world records in four events throughout his competitive career...Earned a dentistry degree from the University of Pennsylvania...Served as head track coach at the University of Michigan from 1910-13...Served as assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania.Olympic Experience
- 1-time Olympian; 4-time Olympic medalist (4 gold)
- Olympic Games Paris 1900, gold (110m Hurdles - Men, 200m Hurdles - Men, 60m - Men, Long Jump - Men)
Hall Of Fame Bio #
Alvin Kraenzlein earned four individual gold medals at the Olympic Games Paris 1900 and was the first athlete to win four gold medals at a single Games. Kraenzlein was born in Minneapolis to German immigrant parents. He attended the University of Wisconsin, where his athletic abilities were noticed by the University of Pennsylvania’s track coach, Mike Murphy. Murphy convinced Kraenzlein to run on the Penn track team, where Kraenzlein set nine records in intercollegiate and Olympic competition, and also developed a new technique of hurdling that has now become the standard. Kraenzlein competed at the Paris 1900 Games in the 60-meter dash, 110 hurdles, 200 hurdles and the long jump, winning gold medals in all four events, and retired from track and field after the Games. He became a Track and Field coach at the University of Michigan and served temporary coaching positions with both the German and Cuban Track and Field teams. Kraenzlein passed away on Jan. 6, 1928, in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, due to heart disease.
