Track and field legend Beamon to speak at Eureka College commencement

Bob Beamon’s long jump in the 1968 Olympics shattered the world record and remains the Olympic record. (Photo Facebook/USA Track and Field)

By Greg Halbleib

EUREKA – A track and field legend will be this year’s commencement speaker at Eureka College.

Bob Beamon won the gold medal in the long jump at the 1968 Olympics. His leap of 29 feet, 2 1/2 inches is still an Olympic record.

Beamon is in the National Track and Field Hall of Fame and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. ESPN named him one of the top 100 athletes of the 20th century.

The Eureka College commencement is scheduled for Saturday, May 5 at 10:30 a.m. in the Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected]

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