Greg Foster, world champion Olympic hurdler, dies
Fred Jeter | 3/2/2023, 6 p.m.
Greg Foster, among the greatest hurdlers in track and field history, died Feb. 19, 2023. He was 64 and suffering from amyloidosis, a heart disorder.
A native Chicagoan, Mr. Foster was a three-time World Champion at 110-meter hurdles (1983, ’87, ’91) and in 1984 won the silver medal at the Los Angeles Olympics.
Before turning pro, he led UCLA to the 1978 NCAA championship while capturing gold in the hurdles and 200-meter sprint.
Mr. Foster ran his personal best in 1981 in Zurich when he stopped the watch in 13.03. In that same race Renaldo Nehemiah became the first man in history to break the 13-second mark (19.93).
The current World record of 12.8 was set by American Aries Merritt in 2012.
In 1998, Mr. Foster was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.
