Creed Haymond

Who is Creed Haymond?

Walter Creed Haymond was an American track and field athlete. He is occasionally cited by Mormon leaders as an example of the benefits that can result from abiding by the Word of Wisdom, a health code for Latter-day Saints.

Haymond was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He studied at the University of Pennsylvania, where he became the captain of the track team. At the 1919 Inter-Collegiate Association track meet, he broke the world record time for the 220-yard race. Haymond later attributed part of his success that day to his decision the night before to refuse his track coach's offer of sherry: the LDS Church's Word of Wisdom prohibits consumption of alcohol.

Haymond was accepted to compete as a sprinter for the U.S. team at the 1920 Summer Olympics, but he was injured before the competition. Later in his life, Haymond became a dentist. He was one of the patriarchs of the Cottonwood Stake when James E. Faust was the president of that stake. Haymond was a vocal advocate of the Word of Wisdom.