March 1, 2006

As part of its celebration of Black History Month, the Mid-American Conference is honoring former student-athletes, coaches and administrators at its member schools. Former Ohio track star Les Carney is the fourth Bobcat to be recognized by the MAC.

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By Caroline Ferenchak

Some athletes have are destined to go places. Les Carney was destined to go to Rome.

Carney "grew up playing sports...out in the street, everywhere," he said, recalling games played with siblings and other kids in his neighborhood in Wintersville, OH, near Steubenville.

Natural talent and confidence carried Carney through junior high and high school, where he excelled in not just one, but all four sports he was eligible to compete in - football, basketball, baseball and track.

A football scholarship brought him to Ohio University and the Mid-American Conference. His prior time in the Army, however, showed him that his future successes would lie in track and field.

Carney played football and ran track at Ohio and he experienced "no hesitation in thinking that I would not succeed at that level."

And succeed he did. Carney won awards for both sports during his time at Ohio, including All-Mid-American Honorable Mention in football, All-American in track, and Sportsman of the Year for Ohio University in 1959.

Approximately one year after graduating from Ohio, Carney applied for a leave of absence from his job. He traveled to California, where he tried out for the United States Olympic team for track and field.

Trying out for the team was a personal goal of Carney's, however he credits his track coach as "very instrumental in helping me and encouraging me to continue to pursue that goal after I graduated."

Carney secured a spot on the team and competed in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. His life-long dedication to sports and competition paid off when he ran the 200 meters in 20.69 seconds, just seven one-hundredths behind Livio Berruti of Italy, but enough to earn the silver medal. He became the first Ohio athlete to compete in the Games.

Carney recognizes the far-reaching effects of his accomplishments at every level. In addition to self-satisfaction, his achievements brought gratification to his family as well.

"All of them enjoyed the achievements as much as I did."

Sports "teaches discipline and a sense of accomplishment when you succeed. It teaches you to be a teammate, to compromise...knowing how to win and knowing how to lose," he said. "With dedication and hard work, who knows what the end result may be."

Carney resides in Akron, OH, with his wife of 45 years. They have three grown children. He continues to keep sports in his life by playing golf in his spare time.

Caroline Ferenchak is a journalism at Ohio University.