Bill Nieder
Olympic gold medal winner in track and field. Born: 1933.
Bill Nieder was the first high school athlete to put the 12 pound shot over 60 feet and the first collegian to put the 16 pound shot over 60 feet. As a senior at KU he earned a silver medal in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and four years later he earned the gold medal at the Rome Olympics where he established an Olympic record. He twice set the world record. After almost 60 years, he still holds the Lawrence High School record for the shot.
Entry: Nieder, Bill
Author: G. Joseph Pierron
Author information: Judge Pierron serves on the Kansas Court of Appeals and has an interest in Kansas history.
Date Created: November 2012
Date Modified: November 2012
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
