Lee Evans, 74, US Olympic Gold Medalist, was having dinner in Abeokuta a little over a week ago, w/ a group including @Mathematical7 (one of greatest footballers out of Africa), when he suffered a stroke & slumped. He died today at Babcock Uni Teaching Hospital, Ilishan.
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Turns out Odegbami had written about it.
“I am writing this Wednesday night In Abeokuta. I have just returned from Babcock Uni Teaching hospital, Ilishan. Lee Evans is lying in the Emergency ward of the hospital, attached to several tubes and gadgets...” mathematical7.com/m7/lee-evans-m…
“I am writing this Wednesday night In Abeokuta. I have just returned from Babcock Uni Teaching hospital, Ilishan. Lee Evans is lying in the Emergency ward of the hospital, attached to several tubes and gadgets...” mathematical7.com/m7/lee-evans-m…
Evans’ @nytimes Obituary, today: nytimes.com/2021/05/19/spo…
What was Lee Evans doing in Nigeria?
“He has been supporting me now for 2 years as a volunteer coach of young boys and girls at the Segun Odegbami International College & Sports Academy, SOCA, in Wasimi Orile, Ogun State, and transforming young lives positively.”—@Mathematical7
“He has been supporting me now for 2 years as a volunteer coach of young boys and girls at the Segun Odegbami International College & Sports Academy, SOCA, in Wasimi Orile, Ogun State, and transforming young lives positively.”—@Mathematical7
Evans was the Usain Bolt of his era (late 60s early 70s), says Odegbami.
“Lee was what Usain Bolt became at his most popular, but short of the flamboyance, publicity and fortunes of the present day... the first human to break the 44-second barrier for 400m, when he was just 21.”
“Lee was what Usain Bolt became at his most popular, but short of the flamboyance, publicity and fortunes of the present day... the first human to break the 44-second barrier for 400m, when he was just 21.”
When his career ended Lee travelled the world and worked in several countries including Nigeria, where, according to @Mathematical7, “he worked the longest and has coached a legion of some of Nigeria’s greatest athletes in history.” mathematical7.com/m7/lee-evans-m…
“Between 1975 and 1997 Evans directed the national track and field programs of Nigeria and Saudi Arabia... In 1977, he was the sprint coach for the All-African team at the first World Cup and earned coach of the year honors in Nigeria that year.” usatf.org/news/2021/usat…
Per @nytimes: “In 2014, Evans was banned from coaching for four years by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria for giving a schoolgirl performance-enhancing substances that might have been responsible for her failing a doping test.” nytimes.com/2021/05/19/spo…
Evans won his two gold medals (400m & 1,600m relay) at the same 1968 Summer Olympic Games (in Mexico City) at which Tommie Smith (200m gold) & John Carlos (200m bronze) famously raised fists in Black Power salute. Evans also raised fist during his own medal presentation ceremony.
https://twitter.com/toluogunlesi/status/1274342700133777408
“He won his first gold in the 400-meter in 43.86 seconds, a record that stood for 20 years, and his second gold anchoring the United States team in the 1,600-meter relay, run in 2 minutes 56.16 seconds, a record that lasted for 24 years.” nytimes.com/2021/05/19/spo…
A shoutout to Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan, for giving a comatose Evans their best: Odegbami writes of “the resignation on the faces of the hardworking medical teams in the [BUTH], working hard to make him as comfortable as possible...” mathematical7.com/m7/lee-evans-m…
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