Laird, Ronald
Track and Field
b. April 31, 1938, Louisville, KY
Although he holds the record for the most national titles won in track and field with 65, Laird is virtually unknown because he was a race walker and race walking gets no media attention in the United States.
He began competing in 1958 and at one time or another he won championships and held American records for every race walking distance from 3,000 meters to 50 kilometers. Laird won a gold medal in the 20-kilometer walk at the 1967 Pan-American Games.
Over a 13-year stretch, Laird won at least one national championship every year and he reached a high of nine titles in 1969. He won the 15-kilometer championship five years in a row and was a member of four U. S. Olympic teams, in 1960, 1964, 1968, and 1976. He retired after the 1976 Olympics.