President Trump will award the Medal of Freedom on Friday to legendary track and field athlete and former Kansas lawmaker Jim Ryun.
The White House said the president will bestow the nation’s highest civilian honor to Mr. Ryun as “one of the most accomplished American runners in history and a former United States Representative from Kansas.”
Mr. Ryun became the first high school athlete to run a mile in under four minutes in 1964, and he set the world record for the mile in 1966 at age 19.
He won a silver medal in the 1968 Olympics in the 1,500 meters.
The White House statement also notes he “honorably served” his home state of Kansas as a Republican in Congress from 1996 to 2006.
Mr. Ryun has written three books and gives motivational speeches around the country.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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