Jim Bolding

James Doyle Bolding, II (November 3, 1949 – July 31, 2011) was an American track and field athlete, primarily known for the 400 metres hurdles.

He was the current world record holder in the now rarely run 440-yard hurdles, the predecessor to the current 400 metre hurdles (the 440 yard event is 2.336m, or seven feet eight inches, longer in distance).

Over the more conventional 400 hurdles, Bolding was ranked in the top ten in the world 5 times from 1972 to 1976, achieving the #1 ranking in 1974 and trailing only the reigning Olympic champion and world record holder John Akii-Bua. In 1974 he was named United States Olympic Committee "Male Athlete of the Year."