Don Styron

Who is Don Styron?

Donald Augustus Styron is the world record holder in the 200 meter low hurdles. He remains the current world record holder because the event has not been run frequently by elite athletes since the early 1960s.

Hurdler Don Styron was a twin, his brother being David Styron, who followed their track coach, Lew Hartzog, from Wheat Ridge High School in Colorado to attend Northeast Louisiana State University. Both brothers were inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1977.

On April 2, 1960, in a dual meet against Louisiana State University, the 20 year old hurdler ran a time of 21.9 for the straight 220 yard low hurdles—which is slightly longer than the metric distance recognized worldwide. That time has not been surpassed since. 1960 is the last year the IAAF recognized the world record in the 200 meter low hurdles. The 220 yard Low Hurdles is one of the four events Jesse Owens set or tied World Records in during a 45 minute span on May 25, 1935—what many people have regarded as the greatest sports achievement. The previous mark of 22.5 was held by Karl Martin Lauer, the German Olympic hurdler, over the metric distance.