Harrison Dillard is the only person to ever win Olympic Gold in both hurdles and sprints.

William Harrison Dillard was born on July 8, 1923 at 32nd and Orange Avenue in Cleveland, approximately where the Post Office is today.

Though he won the NCAA and AAU 120-yard and 220-yard hurdles in both 1946 and 1947 and he tied world records in both events with a 22.3 in the 220 in 1946, at the trials for the 1948 Summer Olympics however, Dillard failed to qualify for the 110 m hurdles event, though he qualified as third (and last) for the 100 m, not his specialty.

Statue of Olympic Gold medalist Harrison Dillard at Baldwin-Wallace College

At the London Games, Dillard reached the final, which seemed to end in a dead heat  between Dillard and another American,  Barney Ewell. The finish photo showed Dillard had won, equaling the World record as well. This was the first use of a photo finish at an Olympic Games. Also a member of the 4 x 100 m relay team, he won another gold medal at the London Games.

Four years later, still a strong hurdler, Dillard did qualify for the 110 m hurdles event, and won the event in Helsinki.  Another 4 x 100 m relay victory yielded Dillard’s fourth Olympic title.

Olympic Gold medalist Harrison Dillard holding one of his trophies