MIAMI, Fla. -- Lawrence "Larry" J. Black, former North Carolina Central University sprinter and Olympic medalist, died Wednesday, Feb. 8 in his hometown of Miami, Florida from a massive aneurysm. He was 54 years old.

While a student at NCCU, Black competed in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, capturing the silver medal in the 200-meter dash (20.19 seconds) and the gold medal as the lead leg of the 4x100-meter relay, which equaled the United States' own world record with a time of 38.19 seconds.

An 11-time collegiate All-American, Black won four individual national championships and was a part of three national championship relay teams. 

Individually, he won NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) outdoor titles in the 220-yard dash in 1971 and the 200m dash in 1972, and an indoor title in the 60-yard dash in 1974, while adding an NCAA outdoor national title in the 220-yard dash in 1971.

As a member of a relay team, Black won national championships in the 1970 NCAA outdoor 440-yard relay and the 1972 NAIA 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

Born on July 20, 1951, in Miami, Fla., Black set the NAIA Championship meet record in the 200m dash in 1972 (20.0 seconds) to help the Eagles win the 1972 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championship in Billings, Montana. He was selected as the 1972 NAIA Championship Herbert B. Marett Outstanding Performer.

Black was inducted into the Penn Relays Wall of Fame in 2002, and the record-setting Penn Relays relay teams he ran on in 1972 were inducted in 2005 (880 relay) and 1995 (Sprint Medley).

Larry Black: Died February 8, 2006

(from North Carolina Central University)