Mel Spence

Mel Spence
Personal information
BornMelville Spence
2 January 1936
Kingston, Jamaica
Died28 October 2012(2012-10-28) (aged 76)
Florida
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  British West Indies
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place1959 Chicago4×400 m
Representing  Jamaica
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place1963 São Paulo400 m
Bronze medal – third place1963 São Paulo4×400 m
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place1962 Perth4x440 yards
Central American and Caribbean Games
Gold medal – first place1962 Kingston4×400 m
Silver medal – second place1962 Kingston800 metres

Melville Spence (2 January 1936 – 28 October 2012)[1] was a Jamaican sprinter who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics and in the 1964 Summer Olympics. He is the twin brother of Mal Spence, an Olympic sprint medalist.[2]

He was a relay silver medalist at the 1955 Pan American Games and was runner-up in the individual 400 m event at the 1963 Pan American Games.[3] He was part of the winning Jamaican 4×400 metres relay team at the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games.

Both Mel and his twin brother were recruited to run for Arizona State University during the civil rights movement of the late 1950s, among the first international athletes to come to the US for athletics.[4][5]

International competitions

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing  Jamaica
1955 Pan American Games Mexico City, Mexico 6th (h) 200 m 22.19
5th 400 m 48.84
2nd 4 × 400 m relay 3:12.63
1956 Olympic Games Melbourne, Australia 31st (h) 200 m 22.13
10th (sf) 400 m 47.58
8th (h) 4 × 400 m relay 3:11.01
1957 British West Indies Championships Kingston, Jamaica 2nd 400 m 47.6
2nd 800 m 1:51.1
1st 4 × 100 m relay 41.9
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:14.0
1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Cardiff, United Kingdom 30th (h) 440 y 50.2
1959 British West Indies Championships Georgetown, British Guiana 3rd 400 m
3rd 800 m
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:09.5
Pan American Games1 Chicago, United States 4th 800 m 1:50.0
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:05.3
1960 British West Indies Championships Kingston, Jamaica 3rd 400 m 47.1
1962 Central American and Caribbean Games Kingston, Jamaica 4th 400 m 47.7
2nd 800 m 1:53.0
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:11.6
British Empire and Commonwealth Games Perth, Australia 6th 440 y 47.8
13th (h) 880 y 1:52.3
1st 4 × 440 y relay 3:10.2
1963 Pan American Games São Paulo, Brazil 2nd 400 m 46.94
3rd 4 × 400 m relay 3:12.61
1964 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 4th 4 × 400 m relay 3:02.3
1966 Central American and Caribbean Games San Juan, Puerto Rico 1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:08.8
British Empire and Commonwealth Games Kingston, Jamaica 17th (h) 440 y 48.3

1Representing British West Indies

References

  1. ↑ "Melville Spence: international repute through talent and good values, says PM Simpson Miller | Government of Jamaica Office of the Prime Minister". Opm.gov.jm. 1 November 2012. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  2. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Mel Spence". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  3. ↑ Pan American Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2012-05-12.
  4. ↑ "Boca Raton Olympian Malcolm Spence dies at 81". sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  5. ↑ "Sun Devils Remember Malcolm Spence II". thesundevils.com. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
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