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Lafayette College Athletics

Hall of Fame

Leconey

J. Alfred LeConey

  • Class
    1923
  • Induction
    1977
  • Sport(s)
    Track & Field
No Lafayette track star has gained more fame than J. Alfred LeConey '23. At Lafayette he set numerous sprint records including a 9.7 clocking in the 100 yd. dash which remained intact until 1974. He won three IC4A championships as a senior. But he is remembered most for his performance as the anchor man for the 1924 U.S. Olympic 400 meter relay team which took the gold medal in Paris with a world record clocking of 41 seconds. After his return form the Olympics, LeConey entered a challenge match with the famous Charley Paddock. LeConey covered the 100 yd. distance to win in 9.4 seconds - the fastest ever recorded to that time. The effort was later disallowed when judges ruled that the time was wind-aided. In 1932, he received an unusual honor when a picture of him at the 1924 Olympics was used by the U.S. Post Office in developing a commemorative stamp.
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