Mel Lattany

Mel Lattany

Personal information
Nationality	United States
Born	(1959-08-10) August 10, 1959
Sport
Sport	Running
Event(s)	100 metres, 200 metres
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	100 m: 9.96 s (Athens 1984)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the United States IAAF World Cup 1981 Rome 200 m 1979 Montreal 4×100 m relay Summer Universiade 1981 Bucharest 100 m Liberty Bell Classic 1980 Philadelphia 100 m

Melvin Lattany (born August 10, 1959 in Brunswick, Georgia) is a former American track athlete. He was one of the world's dominating sprinters in the early 1980s.

A standout at the University of Georgia, he established a new Men's World Junior Record over 100 metres on July 30, 1978. He won a gold medal over 100 metres at the 1981 Summer Universiade, and over 200 metres at the 1981 IAAF World Cup. On May 5, 1984, Lattany became only the fifth man (second at sea-level) to break the 10-second barrier when he clocked 9.96 seconds in Athens, Georgia. He retired from track in 1985 to become an NFL wide receiver. He did not, however, play in the NFL. In 1987, he was reinstated by the International Amateur Athletics Federation to run track again.

External links

• Mel Lattany profile at IAAF

Records
Preceded by Harvey Glance	Men's World Junior Record Holder, 100 metres 30 July 1978 – 24 May 1980	Succeeded by Stanley Floyd
Achievements
Preceded by Calvin Smith	Men's season's best performance, 100 metres 1984	Succeeded by Carl Lewis