in full Robert Lee Hayes
born Dec. 20, 1942, Jacksonville, Fla., U.S.
died Sept. 18, 2002, Jacksonville
U.S. sprinter and football player.
He was a star sprinter and running back for Florida A&M University. In 1963 he set a world record (9.1 seconds) in the 100-yard dash that stood for 11 years. At the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo he won gold medals in the 100-m event and the 4 × 100-m relay; his remarkable performance in the latter event
his relay split was 8.6 seconds
helped earn him the unofficial title "World's Fastest Human." He later joined the Dallas Cowboys football team of the NFL as a wide receiver (1965–76) and kick returner and was a member of the 1972 team that won the Super Bowl.