Herb Douglas was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 athlete who competed mainly in the long jump

Long jump

The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...

. He represented the U.S. in that event at the 1948 Summer Olympics

1948 Summer Olympics

The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...

 in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, where he won the bronze medal

Bronze medal

A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...

.

Competition in the long jump was particularly keen at the London Games. Willie Steel

Willie Steel

William 'Willie' Steel was a Scottish footballer who played for Liverpool.-Life and playing career:...

 of the U.S. won the gold medal

Gold medal

A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...

 at 25' 8"; Australia's Theo Bruce

Theo Bruce

Theo Bruce was an Australian athlete who mainly competed in the men's long jump. He represented Australia at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, where he won the silver medal in his specialty.Competition in the long jump was particularly keen at the London Games. Willie Steele of the U.S...

 came in second, taking the silver medal

Silver medal

A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....

at 24' 9.5". Herb Douglas captured the bronze with a jump of 24' 9", and Lorenzo Wright of the United States ended up fourth at 24' 5.25".