Ivan Fuqua

Ivan Fuqua’s first major competition at a national level was the 1929 AAU, in which he hitchhiked to Denver and got a job cleaning the stadium in preparation for the meet. He also got a nice sunburn and, not surprisingly failed to show his true form when the competition began. While at Indiana University, Fuqua won the AAU 400m in 1933 and 1934 and was a member of the team which won the AAU indoor relay in 1934. His best clockings were 47.3 for 440y in the 1933 NCAA (placing second) and 47.4 for 400m in winning the 1934 AAU title. A time of 46.6 often credited to him in Budapest in 1933 was actually a wire service error and was correctly 47.6. After graduation, Ivan Fuqua was appointed track coach at Connecticut State (now the University of Connecticut). He entered the navy during the War, was discharged in 1946 with the rank of lieutenant commander, and joined Brown as a coach. He stayed there as head coach from 1947 until 1973, when he retired. He later became a manager and co-owner of a beach club in Rhode Island.

Personal Bests: 400 – 47.0y (1933).