Greg Foster, triple world champion in 110 meter hurdles, dies at 64

The American Greg Foster, triple world champion and Olympic runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles, died on February 19 at the age of 64, the International Athletics Federation (World Athletics) announced on Tuesday.

The institution, which said it was "deeply saddened" to learn the news, recalled that Foster, born in Chicago on August 4, 1958, was "a dominant force" in the event in the 1980s and early 1990s.

The American won the world outdoor gold medal in Helsinki 1983, Rome 1987 and Tokyo 1991, was silver medallist in the Los Angeles 1984 Games after his compatriot Roger Kingdom and indoor champion in the 60m hurdles in Seville 1991. He also set a world indoor record of 7.36 in 1987.

International Federation executive director Jon Ridgeon, who was silver behind Foster at Rome 1987, said he was "one of the true legends of hurdles racing" and had to compete against one of his "role models and heroes in the sport".

"And I remember meeting Greg exactly how you would want your athletics hero to be: a fierce competitor on the track but always a warm, generous and friendly man away from the intensity of competition," said Ridgeon, who said he was "very sad" after his passing "at such a young age."

He retired in 1996, was elected to the USTAF Hall of Fame in 1998 and, despite being diagnosed with amyloidosis, a rare disease affecting his heart, at age 57, remained involved in track and field as a coach.