ABOUT

Simeon "Sim" Garland Iness (July 9, 1930 – May 23, 1996) was an American discus thrower who won a gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics, breaking the Olympic record several times in the process.[1] Next year he set a new world record at 57.93 m.

Iness competed for the United States in the 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki, Finland, here he won the gold medal with a throw of 55.03 m. His gold medal triumph started the longest USA winning streak in the discus event in modern Olympic history. He set the discus world's record on June 28, 1953 in Lincoln, Nebraska at 57.93 m, being the first man to throw over 190 feet.[1] He went on to appear in two Hollywood films, Sign of the Pagan (1954) with Jack Palance and Jeff Chandler and Lady Godiva of Coventry (1955) with Maureen O'Hara.[4] He was an Olympic torch bearer for the 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Olympics.

After his Olympic and world record triumph, Iness worked the rest of his life as a high school and college physical education teacher, track and football coach,[1] and education counselor. "Sim Iness Gymnasium" can be found on the campus of Sim's alma-mater, Tulare Union High School. The Sim Iness Collection is housed at the Tulare City Historical Museum.