Oliver Ford is a former sprinter

Sprinter

Sprinter can refer to:in sport:* a person who participates in Sprint running* a cycling sprinter* Open-wheeled Sprint car racingmotor vehicles:* the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter , a cargo van...

 who jointly held the 100 metres world record with six other men in 1968, at 10.0s. He matched the then-record in the semi-finals of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...

 track and field championship

NAIA national men's outdoor track and field championship

NAIA team championships for Men's Outdoor Track and Field- Champions :*1952 Abilene Christian*1953 South Dakota State*1954 Abilene Christian*1955 Abilene Christian*1956 Occidental*1957 Occidental*1958 Occidental*1959 Winston-Salem*1960 Winston-Salem...

s in Albuquerque and won the final with a time of 10.1s.

He studied at Southern University

Southern University

Southern University and A&M College is a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Baton Rouge campus is located on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section...

 and normally ran 220 yards and 440 yards. After his record run he planned to try for the Olympics, but was ill for the Olympics trials in July 1968, though he was selected to compete at the final selection in South Lake Tahoe that September. He won both the 100 yard dash (in 9.5s) and the 220 yard dash (in 20.5s) at the 1969 NAIA championships in Billings, Montana, where he was named outstanding athlete.