RIP Todd Bennett

[GloverMart]

Sad news indeed... didn't even know he was ill!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/23341948

In the golden days of athletics, he was a fantastic little athlete and always ran his heart out for his country.

[Highway Star]

Likewise, didn't know he was ill and always remember watching him as a kid, he truly gave his best each race he ran.

Todd Bennett came to my middle school when I was about 10 as part of a Sports in Schools programme and was great with all of us, got us doing circuit training in the hall and then did a demonstration of how many press ups he could do in a minute.

As a young athlete, meeting someone who you could remember winning an Olympic medal was awesome. I've still got his autograph and a photo of me with him from that day somewhere in my parent's loft. Although it was 25 years ago now, I still remember him to be a truly nice guy on that day.

RIP.

[Nom de ploom]

wasn't he the king of the anchor leg on the 4x400?

sad loss indeed, I seem to recall him hauling in either russians or americans on the line at soem major championship - was it moscow 80? I would have been 7 so my memory might fail me...

thanks OP for posting.

[Cheib]

Nom de ploom said:

wasn't he the king of the anchor leg on the 4x400?

sad loss indeed, I seem to recall him hauling in either russians or americans on the line at soem major championship - was it moscow 80? I would have been 7 so my memory might fail me...

thanks OP for posting.

No....the 4x400m squad didn't start doing well at major champs until '84 I think.

I think Todd Bennet used to run one of the middle legs...Phil Brown was the guy on the last leg.

Used to love watching the 4x400.

Sad to see him die so young.

[Nom de ploom]

thanks, yes it was phil brown I was thinking of.

[buglabjab]

Yes Phil Brown who couldn't run the 400 in a normal race but put a baton in his hand and he could beat anyone.