Below is a press release from the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame:
The state of Mississippi lost two of its greatest track athletes this week when Laurel's Ralph Boston and Sand Hill native Tori Bowie passed away within days of each other.
"The accomplishments of these two incredible athletes are legendary" according to Bill Blackwell the Executive Director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
Each earned three Olympic medals, Ralph's over three different Olympic games and Tori's in the 2016 meet. Ironically both held Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.
Boston was 83 when he died on April 30th from complications of a stroke and Bowie was just 32 when she passed May 3rd with no cause of death has been announced.
Boston rose to fame in the 1960 Rome Olympics when he lept to an Olympic record of 26 feet 7.5 inches in the long jump breaking a record held by Jesse Owens. He later won a Silver and a Bronze medal and also competed in the triple jump. Over a long period he competed at a very high level and then aided Bob Beamon win gold in Mexico City as Boston finished third in that Olympics.
Bowie, who was raised by her grandmother in Sand Hill received a scholarship to the University of Southern Mississippi and set many school records both in sprints and in long and triple jump. While at USM she won the NCAA Long Jump at both the indoor and outdoor 2011 meets. In 2014 she began concentrating on sprinting and at the 2016 Olympics in Rio she won Gold for her participation in the 4X100 relay, Silver in the 100 meter race and bronze in the 200 meter. At the 2017 World Championships she won gold in both the 100m and the 4X100m.
