Leslie Laing

Leslie Alphonso "Les" Laing (19 February 1925 – 7 February 2021) was a Jamaican athlete and a winner of gold medal in 4 × 400 m relay at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Biography Born in Linstead, Jamaica, Laing previously competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics, where he finished sixth in 200 m and was eliminated in the heats of 100 m. He probably missed a medal when Arthur Wint pulled a muscle in the 4 × 400 m relay final.

Laing finished second behind McDonald Bailey in both the 100 yards and 220 yards events at the British 1949 AAA Championships.

At the Helsinki Olympics, Laing was fifth in the 200 m and ran the second leg in the Jamaican 4 × 400 m relay team, which won the gold medal with a new world record of 3:03.9.

Laing was an All-American sprinter for the Fresno State Bulldogs track and field team, finishing 3rd in the 100 m and 200 m at the 1953 NCAA track and field championships.

Laing married Fresno State classmate Carmen Phipps in August 1953. In 2005 he was inducted into the Central American and Caribbean Confederation Hall of Fame. He died twelve days short of his 96th birthday.

Competition record 1Did not finish in the final