         ira james murchison (february 6, 1933 &ndash; march 28, 1994) was an american athlete, winner of the gold medal in 4x100 m relay at the 1956 summer olympics. born in chicago, illinois, ira murchison was noted for his exceptional speed from the starting block, which earned him a nickname human sputnik. before the melbourne olympics, murchison equalled twice the 100 m world record of 10.2 and ran in berlin a new world record of 10.1, thus becoming one of the favourites to win the 100 m olympic gold medal. but at melbourne, murchison managed to finish only in a disappointing fourth place. he also ran the leadoff leg of the 4x100 m relay team for the united states, and helped the american team to a gold medal in a world record time of 39.5. in 1957, murchison repeated the  world record of 9.3 and, as a western michigan university student, won the 1958 ncaa championships in . at the 1963 pan american games, murchison finished third in the 100 m and helped the american 4x100 m relay team to win a gold medal. during the 1970s, murchison was the coach of a women's track team in chicago. one of the women he coached was 1976 olympic sprinter, rosalyn bryant. ira murchison died of cancer in harvey, illinois, aged 61. ==references== * sports-reference    
1933_births 1994_deaths American_sprinters Athletes_(track_and_field)_at_the_1956_Summer_Olympics Athletes_(track_and_field)_at_the_1963_Pan_American_Games Olympic_gold_medalists_for_the_United_States Olympic_medalists_in_athletics_(track_and_field) Olympic_track_and_field_athletes_of_the_United_States Sportspeople_from_Chicago,_Illinois Western_Michigan_University_alumni