North Carolina Central University

TRACK & FIELD

1972 Olympic Gold Medalist Julius Sang dies

April 9, 2004

Former North Carolina Central University track star Julius Sang, one of Kenya's early Olympic medalists, died on April 9 in Eldoret, Kenya, after falling ill several weeks ago with intestinal difficulties.

Sang, along with teammates Robert Ouko, Charles Asati and Hezekiah Nyamau, won the 4X400 meter gold medal at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich for their native Kenya.

Sang was remembered for taking the baton in third place and passing runners from Poland and Germany to win the gold medal with a time of 2:59.83. He also won the bronze medal in the individual 400 meter race in 1972, earning a No. 5 position in the World Rankings with a time of 44.92.

Sang and Robert Ouku were teammates at North Carolina Central in 1972, and were a part of the world-record setting sprint medley relay team at the Penn Relays.

Sang was a retired senior level Provincial Prisons Officer.

Sang was married to Tecla (also spelled Tekla) Chemabwai, a 400 and 800 meter runner and 1968 and 1972 Olympian, who won the gold medal in the 400 meters at the 1973 African Games in Lagos, Nigeria, the 800 meter African Games gold medal in 1978 and the 1978 Commonwealth Games silver medal at 800 meters.

Sang was also a member of the 4x100 meter (39.5) and 4x400 meter (3:04.8) relay teams that won NAIA Outdoor Championships in 1972.

Penn Relays Wall of Fame Class of 1995

The 1972 North Carolina Central Sprint Medley team ran 3:14.8 for the yard distance. The team of Julius Sang, Jeff Horsley, Larry Black and Robert Ouko ran a Carnival record not bettered until 1986. The mark also stood as a collegiate record for seven years.