By Nathan Canilao (@nathancanilao) – Spear Reporter
The San Jose State athletics community suffered a great loss on Aug. 18 when Olympian John Powell passed away at the age of 75 from a battle with a longtime illness. Powell was a graduate at SJSU and was a four-time Olympic discus thrower for the United States Olympic team.
Powell was a member of the Spartan track and field team during the Speed City era which included runners Tommie Smith, John Carlos and hammer thrower Ed Burke.
He won the bronze medal in 1972 and 1984 in the discus throw. Powell also took first place in the discus throw at the 1975 Pan American games.
During the 1980 Summer Olympics, Powell was one of 461 athletes who received a congressional medal for boycotting the Olympics due to the USSR’s participation in the event.
In 2019, Powell was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame. He was ranked in the top ten of world discus throwers 13 times from 1972-1987.
“I couldn’t believe it, but I said I didn’t know what I would do to screw it up,” said Powell. “ I told my wife not to tell anyone because it might not happen,” Powell said in a 2019 interview with USATF.
Powell was also known for his work as a police officer, spending six years as an officer for the San Jose Police Department.
“It was a good job and I loved it for the seven years I did it,” Powell said.
Powell is survived by family and friends.