Athletes (track and field) at the 1928 Summer Olympics

Lee_Barnes

Lee Stratford Barnes (July 16, 1906 – December 28, 1970) was an American athlete from Utah who competed in the men's pole vault. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and died in Oxnard, California.Barnes attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He competed in Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris and won gold, beating fellow American pole vaulter Glenn Graham, who received silver.
Barnes has the honor of being the only known stunt double for silent film star Buster Keaton during Keaton's independent years of film making. In Keaton's 1927 feature College, Barnes performed a pole vault through an open upper-story window.

Lina_Radke

Karoline "Lina" Radke-Batschauer (18 October 1903 – 14 February 1983) was a German track and field athlete. She was the first Olympic champion in the 800 m for women.
Born as Lina Batschauer, she started competing in athletics at the age of 20. In those years sports such as running were considered far too exhausting for women. This vision was shared by many, including the originator of the modern Olympic movement, Pierre de Coubertin.
In 1927, she married Georg Radke, who was her coach and a manager of her club SC Baden-Baden. The couple moved to Georg's hometown of Breslau (now Wrocław in Poland), where in 1927 Lina Radke set her first 800 m world record. Together with her husband, Lina Radke was one of the pioneers of female athletics in the mid-1920s. Competitions for women were not held frequently, but Radke nevertheless won several regional and national titles. She first specialised in the 1000 m, but when this was changed into the 800 m (because that distance would be held at the upcoming 1928 Summer Olympics), she switched to that event. The highlight of Radke's career were those 1928 Summer Olympics, as she won the inaugural title in the 800 m, earning the first German gold medal in athletics. Along the way, she set the first officially recognised world record in that event, 2:16.8, which would last until 1944. Following false media reports of competitors collapsing after the race, however, the IOC banished the women's 800 m from the Games; it would not be included again until 1960.In 1930 Radke set a 1,000 m world record. She retired in 1934, after finishing fourth in the 800 m at the last Women's World Games. After that she worked as athletics coach in Breslau and Torgau. Her husband took part in World War II and was held as a prisoner of war in the Soviet Union. Upon his release in 1950, the family moved to Karlsruhe.

Manuel_Plaza

Manuel Jesús Plaza Reyes (17 March 1900 – 9 February 1969) was a long-distance runner from Chile. He competed in the marathon at the 1924 and 1928 Olympics and won a silver medal in 1928, becoming the first Olympic medalist from Chile. He placed sixth in 1924, and served as the flag bearer for Chile at both Olympics.

Bets_Dekens

Berendina Johanna "Bets" Dekens (later de Vries, 25 October 1906 – 13 August 1992) was a Dutch discus thrower. She competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics and finished in 17th place with her all-time best throw of 29.36 meters.
This was the first women's track and field event to be completed in Olympic Games history.

Édouard_Duhour

Édouard Duhour (1 March 1905 – 21 November 1969) was a French shot putter. He competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics and finished in 11th place. His younger brother Clément competed in the shot put and discus throw at the next Games.

Pierre_Lewden

Pierre Lewden (21 February 1901 – 30 April 1989) was a French high jumper who competed at the 1920, 1924 and 1928 Olympics. He won a bronze medal in 1924 and finished in seventh place in 1920 and 1928. Despite his short statue (1.67 m) Lewden was ranked #1–2 in Europe and #3–9 in the world in 1921–1925.

Jules_Ladoumegue

Jules Ladoumègue (French: [ʒyl ladumɛg]; 10 December 1906 – 2 March 1973) was a French middle-distance runner. He became a running star as the sport enjoyed a huge resurgence at the start of the Great Depression, fueled in large part by newsreel coverage. His career was abruptly cut short when he was banned for life from track for payments he received for several races.