Harvey Glance (© AFP / Getty Images)
World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that US sprinter and coach Harvey Glance died on Monday (12) at the age of 66.
During his successful sprint career, Glance claimed Olympic and world gold medals as part of USA’s 4x100m squad, and twice matched the hand-timed world 100m record of 9.9 in 1976. He then moved into coaching, becoming head men's coach of the US team at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin and guiding athletes including Grenada’s Olympic and world gold medallist Kirani James.
After showing his sprint talent while at Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama, Glance joined Auburn University under head coach Mel Rosen, where his successes included four NCAA titles – in the 60m, 100m and 200m in 1976 and a second 100m title in 1977.
Two weeks after his NCAA 100m and 200m double, 19-year-old Glance won the 100m at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene to secure his first international team place. Once at the Olympic Games in Montreal, Glance finished fourth in the 100m final and then teamed up with Johnny Jones, Millard Hampton and Steve Riddick to win the Olympic 4x100m title.
After finishing his career at Auburn in 1979, Glance claimed 100m silver and 4x100m gold at that year’s Pan American Games. He went on to add a world gold medal to his CV in 1987 – combining with Lee McRae, Lee McNeill and Carl Lewis to get 4x100m gold in Rome – and he claimed another Pan American Games 4x100m title in Indianapolis that same year.
His coaching career began at Auburn University, first as assistant coach and then as head coach. In 1997 he became head coach at the University of Alabama, working with athletes including James.
Glance's international coaching career included working with the team at the 1994 World U20 Championships and being head men's coach at the 1999 Pan American Games, assistant men's coach at the 2006 World U20 Championships, men's assistant coach for sprints and hurdles at the 2008 Olympic Games and head men's coach at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.
After retiring from the University of Alabama in 2011, Glance continued to coach James, who claimed world 400m gold in 2011, Olympic 400m gold in 2012 and further global medals in the one-lap event between 2015 and 2022.
World Athletics
