Cliff Bourland

Clifford Frederick Bourland (born January 1, 1921 in Los Angeles , California - † February 1, 2018 ) was an American sprinter over 400 and 200 meters who was successful in the 1940s.

Bourland, whose mother was German, started for the University of Southern California , where he was trained by Dean Cromwell .

In 1942 (47.7 s) and 1943 (47.7 s) he won the state championship over 400 meters and in 1942 (48.2 s) and 1943 (48.5 s) the university championship over 440 yards. There are also two third places in 1940 and 1941. After the war he was fourth in the 400 meter (47.9 s) in 1947 and runner-up in 1948 in the 200 meter.

During the Second World War he served in the Navy as the commander of a landing craft used to transport tanks.

He was able to put a glamorous end to his career at the 1948 Olympic Games in London . After finishing 5th as a single runner over 200 meters (21.3 s, time of the winner Mel Patton : 21.1 s), he won the 4 x 400 meter relay as a member of the US team , who competed in the line-up of Arthur Harnden , Bourland, Roy Cochran and Mal Whitfield , won the gold medal, with final runner Whitfield reaching the finish line more than four seconds ahead of French final runner Jacques Lunis .

After finishing his sporting career and a failed attempt to make a name for himself as a local politician, Bourland joined an insurance company. He later was a co-owner of the Norris, Biggs and Simpson mortgage company.

Web links

• Cliff Bourland in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )
• Notification of death