Alan Boone Helffrich (August 7, 1900 – February 3, 1994) was an American
athlete, winner of gold medal in 4 × 400 m
relay at the
1924 Summer Olympics.[1]
Born in
Yonkers, New York, Alan Helffrich was one of America's greatest middle-distance runners in the 1920s. Helffrich won the
AAU titles in 880
yd in 1921, 1922 and 1925. As a
Pennsylvania State University student, he won the
NCAA championships in 880 yd in 1922 and 1923 and
IC4A championships in 880 yd in 1923 and in 440 yd in 1924.
At the
ParisOlympics, Helffrich ran the final leg in the American 4 × 400 m relay team, which won the gold medal with a new
world record of 3.16.0. Helffrich was the only runner to defeat
Paavo Nurmi when the Finn toured the United States in 1925, scoring a victory in the half-mile run at the
Yankee Stadium.[2] He ended Nurmi's 121-race win streak that had started in 1921.[3]
After his running career, Helffrich officiated at athletics meets in
New York City from 1930 to 1955 and served, until his death at age 93, as president of the New York Chapter of the United States Olympians.