United States at the 1968 Summer Olympics
Flag of the United States
IOC code	USA
NOC	United States Olympic Committee
in Mexico City
Competitors	357 (274 men and 83 women) in 18 sports
Flag bearer	Janice-Lee Romary
Medals Ranked 1st	Gold 45 Silver 28 Bronze 34 Total 107
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games

The United States competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. 357 competitors, 274 men and 83 women, took part in 167 events in 18 sports.^[1]

Medalists

Gold

• Jim Hines — Athletics, Men's 100 metres
• Tommie Smith — Athletics, Men's 200 metres
• Lee Evans — Athletics, Men's 400 metres
• Willie Davenport — Athletics, Men's 110 m Hurdles
• Charles Greene, Jim Hines, Mel Pender, and Ronnie Ray Smith — Athletics, Men's 4 × 100 m Relay
• Lee Evans, Ron Freeman, Larry James, and Vincent Matthews — Athletics, Men's 4 × 400 m Relay
• Dick Fosbury — Athletics, Men's High Jump
• Bob Seagren — Athletics, Men's Pole Vault
• Bob Beamon — Athletics, Men's Long Jump
• Randy Matson — Athletics, Men's Shot Put
• Al Oerter — Athletics, Men's Discus Throw
• Bill Toomey — Athletics, Men's Decathlon
• Wyomia Tyus — Athletics, Women's 100 metres
• Madeline Manning — Athletics, Women's 800 metres
• Margaret Bailes, Barbara Ferrell, Mildrette Netter, and Wyomia Tyus — Athletics, Women's 4 × 100 m Relay
• Michael Barrett, John Clawson, Donald Dee, Calvin Fowler, Spencer Haywood, Wilmer Hosket, James King, Glynn Saulters, Charles Scott, Michael Silliman, Kenneth Spain, and Jo Jo White — Basketball, Men's Team Competition
• Ronald Harris — Boxing, Men's Lightweight
• George Foreman — Boxing, Men's Heavyweight
• Bernie Wrightson — Diving, Men's Springboard
• Sue Gossick — Diving, Women's Springboard
• William Steinkraus — Equestrian, Jumping Individual
• Gary Anderson — Shooting, Men's Free Rifle, Three Positions
• Mike Burton — Swimming, Men's 400 m Freestyle
• Mike Burton — Swimming, Men's 1500 m Freestyle
• Don McKenzie — Swimming, Men's 100 m Breaststroke
• Doug Russell — Swimming, Men's 100 m Butterfly
• Carl Robie — Swimming, Men's 200 m Butterfly
• Charlie Hickcox — Swimming, Men's 200 m Individual Medley
• Charlie Hickcox — Swimming, Men's 400 m Individual Medley
• Stephen Rerych, Mark Spitz, Ken Walsh, and Zac Zorn — Swimming, Men's 4 × 100 m Freestyle
• John Nelson, Stephen Rerych, Don Schollander, and Mark Spitz — Swimming, Men's 4 × 200 m Freestyle
• Charlie Hickcox, Don McKenzie, Doug Russell, and Ken Walsh — Swimming, Men's 4 × 100 m Medley Relay
• Jan Henne — Swimming, Women's 100 m Freestyle
• Debbie Meyer — Swimming, Women's 200 m Freestyle
• Debbie Meyer — Swimming, Women's 400 m Freestyle
• Debbie Meyer — Swimming, Women's 800 m Freestyle
• Kaye Hall — Swimming, Women's 100 m Backstroke
• Lillian Watson — Swimming, Women's 200 m Backstroke
• Sharon Wichman — Swimming, Women's 200 m Breaststroke
• Claudia Kolb — Swimming, Women's 200 m Individual Medley
• Claudia Kolb — Swimming, Women's 400 m Individual Medley
• Jane Barkman, Linda Gustavson, Jan Henne, and Susan Pedersen — Swimming, Women's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay
• Catie Ball, Ellie Daniel, Kaye Hall, and Susan Pedersen — Swimming, Women's 4 × 100 m Medley Relay
• Peter Barrett and Lowell North — Sailing, Men's Star
• George Friedrichs, Barton Jahncke, and Gerald Schreck — Sailing, Men's Dragon

Silver

• Larry James — Athletics, Men's 400 metres
• Jim Ryun — Athletics, Men's 1500 metres
• Ervin Hall — Athletics, Men's 110 m Hurdles
• Edward Caruthers — Athletics, Men's High Jump
• George Woods — Athletics, Men's Shot Put
• Barbara Ferrell — Athletics, Women's 100 metres
• Albert Robinson — Boxing, Men's Featherweight
• Michael Page, Michael Plumb, and James Wofford — Equestrian, Three-Day Event Team
• Larry Hough and Tony Johnson — Rowing, Men's Coxless Pairs
• John Writer — Shooting, Men's Small-bore Rifle, Three Positions
• Thomas Garrigus — Shooting, Men's Trap Shooting
• Ken Walsh — Swimming, Men's 100 m Freestyle
• Don Schollander — Swimming, Men's 200 m Freestyle
• John Kinsella — Swimming, Men's 1500 m Freestyle
• Charlie Hickcox — Swimming, Men's 100 m Backstroke
• Mitch Ivey — Swimming, Men's 200 m Backstroke
• Mark Spitz — Swimming, Men's 100 m Butterfly
• Greg Buckingham — Swimming, Men's 200 m Individual Medley
• Gary Hall — Swimming, Men's 400 m Individual Medley
• Susan Pedersen — Swimming, Women's 100 m Freestyle
• Jan Henne — Swimming, Women's 200 m Freestyle
• Linda Gustavson — Swimming, Women's 400 m Freestyle
• Pam Kruse — Swimming, Women's 800 m Freestyle
• Ellie Daniel — Swimming, Women's 100 m Butterfly
• Susan Pedersen — Swimming, Women's 200 m Individual Medley
• Lynn Vidali — Swimming, Women's 400 m Individual Medley
• Richard Sanders — Wrestling, Men's Freestyle Flyweight
• Donald Behm — Wrestling, Men's Freestyle Bantamweight

Bronze

• Charles Greene — Athletics, Men's 100 metres
• John Carlos — Athletics, Men's 200 metres
• Ron Freeman — Athletics, Men's 400 metres
• Tom Farrell — Athletics, Men's 800 metres
• George Young — Athletics, Men's 3000 m Steeplechase
• Larry Young — Athletics, Men's 50 km Walk
• Ralph Boston — Athletics, Men's Long Jump
• Harlan Marbley — Boxing, Men's Light Flyweight
• James Wallington — Boxing, Men's Light Welterweight
• John Lee Baldwin — Boxing, Men's Light Middleweight
• Alfred Jones — Boxing, Men's Middleweight
• James Henry — Diving, Men's Springboard
• Keala O'Sullivan — Diving, Women's Springboard
• Edwin Young — Diving, Men's Platform
• Ann Peterson — Diving, Women's Platform
• Michael Page — Equestrian, Three-Day Event Individual
• William Maher and John Nunn — Rowing, Men's Double Sculls
• Mark Spitz — Swimming, Men's 100 m Freestyle
• John Nelson — Swimming, Men's 200 m Freestyle
• Ronald Mills — Swimming, Men's 100 m Backstroke
• Jack Horsley — Swimming, Men's 200 m Backstroke
• Brian Job — Swimming, Men's 200 m Breaststroke
• Ross Wales — Swimming, Men's 100 m Butterfly
• John Ferris — Swimming, Men's 200 m Butterfly
• John Ferris — Swimming, Men's 200 m Individual Medley
• Linda Gustavson — Swimming, Women's 100 m Freestyle
• Jane Barkman — Swimming, Women's 200 m Freestyle
• Jane Swagerty — Swimming, Women's 100 m Backstroke
• Kaye Hall — Swimming, Women's 200 m Backstroke
• Sharon Wichman — Swimming, Women's 100 m Breaststroke
• Susan Shields — Swimming, Women's 100 m Butterfly
• Ellie Daniel — Swimming, Women's 200 m Butterfly
• Jan Henne — Swimming, Women's 200 m Individual Medley
• Joseph Dube — Weightlifting, Men's Heavyweight

Athletics

Men's Competition

Men's 100 meters

• Jim Hines
• Charles Greene
• Mel Pender

Men's 200 meters

• Tommie Smith
• John Carlos
• Larry Questad

Men's 400 meters

• Lee Evans
• Larry James
• Ron Freeman

Men's 800 meters

• Wade Bell
• Tom Farrell
• Ronald Kutchinski

Men's 1.500 meters

• Jim Ryun
• Marty Liquori
• Tom Von Ruden

Men's 5,000 meters

• Jack Bacheler
• Bob Day
• Lou Scott

Men's 10,000 meters

• Tom Laris
• Van Nelson
• Tracy Smith

Men's Marathon

• George Young
• Ronald Daws
• Kenny Moore

Men's 110 meter Hurdles

• Willie Davenport
• Ervin Hall
• Leon Coleman

Men's 400 meter Hurdles

• Ron Whitney
• Boyd Gittins
• Geoff Vanderstock

Men's 3,000 meter Steeplechase

• Conrad Nightingale
• William Reilly
• George Young

Men's 4 × 100 m Relay

• Charles Greene, Mel Pender, Ronnie Ray Smith, and Jim Hines

Men's 4 × 400 m Relay

• Vincent Matthews, Ron Freeman, Larry James, and Lee Evans

Men's 20 km Walk

• Ron Laird
• Tom Dooley
• Rudy Haluza

Men's 50 km Walk

• David Romansky
• Goetz Klopfer
• Larry Young

Men's Long Jump

• Bob Beamon
• Ralph Boston
• Charles Mays

Men's Triple Jump

• Norman Tate
• Art Walker
• David Smith

Men's High Jump

• Dick Fosbury
• Reynaldo Brown
• Edward Caruthers

Men's Pole Vault

• Robert Seagren
• John Pennel
• Casey Carrigan

Men's Shot Put

• Randy Matson
• Dave Maggard
• George Woods

Men's Javelin Throw

• Mark Murro
• Frank Covelli
• Gary Stenlund

Men's Discus Throw

• Al Oerter
• Jay Silvester
• Gary Carlsen

Men's Hammer Throw

• Hal Connolly
• Albert Hall
• Ed Burke

Men's Decathlon

• Bill Toomey
• Tom Waddell
• Rick Sloan

Women's Competition

Women's 100 meters

• Wyomia Tyus
• Margaret Bailes
• Barbara Ferrell

Women's 200 meters

• Wyomia Tyus
• Margaret Bailes
• Barbara Ferrell

Women's 400 meters

• Esther Stroy
• Lois Ann Drinkwater
• Jarvis Scott

Women's 800 meters

• Madeline Manning
• Doris Brown
• Francie Kraker

Women's 4 × 100 m Relay

• Wyomia Tyus, Margaret Bailes, Mildred Netter, and Barbara Ferrell

Women's 80m Hurdles

• Patty Van Wolvelaere
• Julie Mae Dyer
• Mamie Rallins

Women's Long Jump

• Willye White
• Martha Watson

Women's High Jump

• Estelle Baskerville
• Sharon Callahan
• Eleanor Montgomery

Women's Shot Put

• Maren Seidler

Women's Javelin Throw

• RaNae Bair
• Barbara Friedrich

Women's Discus Throw

• Olga Connolly
• Carol Moseke

Women's Pentathlon

• Pat Winslow
• Cathy Hamblin

Basketball

Boxing

Canoeing

Cycling

Fifteen cyclists represented the United States in 1968.

Individual road race

• John Howard
• Daniel Butler
• David Chauner
• Wes Wessberg

Team time trial

• John Howard
• Oliver Martin
• John Allis
• Jim Van Boven

Sprint

• Jackie Simes
• Tim Mountford

1000m time trial

• Jackie Simes

Tandem

• Jack Disney
• Charles Pranke

Individual pursuit

• David Brink

Team pursuit

• David Chauner
• Skip Cutting
• Steve Maaranen
• John Vande Velde

Diving

Equestrian

Fencing

20 fencers represented the United States in 1968.

Men's foil

• Larry Anastasi
• Jeffrey Checkes
• Herbert Cohen

Men's team foil

• Herbert Cohen, Albie Axelrod, Uriah Jones, Larry Anastasi, Jeffrey Checkes

Men's épée

• Stephen Netburn
• Paul Pesthy
• David Micahnik

Men's team épée

• Paul Pesthy, Stephen Netburn, David Micahnik, Daniel Cantillon, Robert Beck

Men's sabre

• Alfonso Morales
• Alex Orban
• Anthony Keane

Men's team sabre

• Alex Orban, Alfonso Morales, Anthony Keane, Robert Blum, Thomas Balla

Women's foil

• Jan York-Romary
• Harriet King
• Veronica Smith

Women's team foil

• Harriet King, Veronica Smith, Sally Pechinsky, Maxine Mitchell, Jan York-Romary

Gymnastics

Modern pentathlon

Three pentathletes represented the United States in 1968.

Individual

• James Moore
• Bob Beck
• Tom Lough

Team

• James Moore
• Bob Beck
• Tom Lough

Rowing

Sailing

Shooting

Twelve shooters represented the United States in 1968. Gary Anderson won gold in 300 m rifle, three positions, John Writer won silver in the 50 m rifle, three positions and Thomas Garrigus won silver in the trap.

25 m pistol

• Bill McMillan
• Jim McNally

50 m pistol

• Arnold Vitarbo
• Don Hamilton

300 m rifle, three positions

• Gary Anderson
• John Foster

50 m rifle, three positions

• John Writer
• John Foster

50 m rifle, prone

• Gary Anderson
• Lones Wigger

Trap

• Tom Garrigus
• Ray Stafford

Skeet

• Earl Herring
• Bob Rodale

Swimming

Volleyball

Men's team competition

• Round robin

• Defeated Soviet Union (3-2)
• Lost to Czechoslovakia (1-3)
• Defeated Brazil (3-0)
• Lost to Bulgaria (2-3)
• Lost to Poland (0-3)
• Lost to East Germany (0-3)
• Lost to Japan (0-3)
• Defeated Mexico (3-1)
• Defeated Belgium (3-0) → Seventh place

• Team roster

• John Alstrom
• Mike Bright
• Wink Davenport
• Smitty Duke
• Tom Haine
• Jack Henn
• Butch May
• Danny Patterson
• Larry Rundle
• Jon Stanley
• Rudy Suwara
• Pedro Velasco

• Head coach: Jim Coleman

Women's team competition

• Round robin

• Lost to Japan (0-3)
• Lost to Czechoslovakia (1-3)
• Lost to Poland (0-3)
• Lost to South Korea (1-3)
• Lost to Soviet Union (1-3)
• Lost to Peru (1-3)
• Lost to Mexico (0-3) → 8th and last place

• Team roster^[2]

• Patti Lucas Bright
• Kathryn Ann Heck
• Fanny Hopeau
• Ninja Jorgensen
• Laurie Lewis
• Miki McFadden
• Marilyn McReavy
• Nancy Owen
• Barbara "Bobbie" Perry
• Mary Perry
• Sharon Peterson
• Jane Ward (captain)

• Head coach: Harlan Cohen

Water polo

Team Competition

• Preliminary round (group A)

• Defeated Brazil (10:5)
• Defeated Spain (10:7)
• Tied with Cuba (6:6)
• Lost to Hungary (1:5)
• Lost to Soviet Union (3:8)
• Defeated West Germany (7:5)

• Classification Matches

• 5th/8th place: Defeated Netherlands (6:3)
• 5th/6th place: Defeated East Germany (6:4) → 5th place

• Team roster

• Anton Van Dorp
• Barry Weitzenberg
• Bruce Bradley
• David Ashleigh
• Dean Willeford
• Gary Sheerer
• John Parker
• Ronald Crawford
• Russell Webb
• Stanley Cole
• Steven Barnett

Weightlifting

Wrestling