Robert MCMILLEN

After falling three times in the heats of the 1948 Olympic steeplechase, Bob McMillen wisely gave up the event and turned his attentions to miling. He won the NCAA 1,500 m for Occidental in 1952 and, after winning the Final Trials, his devastating finishing burst narrowly failed to net him the Olympic gold. McMillen’s time of 3:45.2 in Helsinki was a new U.S. record and he had a best time for the mile of 4:07.8, which he clocked in finishing second to Jim Newcomb at the 1950 Southern Pacific AAU meet. In the 1955 Pan American Games 1500 metres McMillen finished fourth.

Personal Bests: 1500 – 3:45.2 (1952); 3000S – 9:18.7 (1948).