Kenneth Powell

Kenneth Lawrence Powell (20 April 1940 – 11 December 2022), popularly known as "The Gentleman Sprinter", was an Indian track and field athlete from the state of Karnataka. He competed in the 1964 Olympics and the 1970 Asian Games. He was a recipient of the Government of India's Arjuna Award in 1965 and Government of Karnataka's Rajyotsava Award in 2018.

Early life Powell was born on 20 April 1940 in Kolar, in the present-day Indian state of Karnataka. His first major event was a third-place finish at the 1957 National School Games in Calcutta (present-day Kolkata).

Powell was one of India's top athletes in the 1960s and was known to have had a healthy rivalry with Milkha Singh.

He was also known as The Gentleman Sprinter.

Awards Powell received the Arjuna Award from the Government of India in 1965. He received the Karnataka government's Rajyotsava Award in 2018.

Personal life and death Powell was married to Daphne Powell (née Simon), who was also an athlete in her younger years. The couple lived in the Cooke Town neighborhood of Bangalore.

Powell died in Bangalore on 11 December 2022, at age 82.