Career highlights of American decathlete Rafer Johnson, who died Wednesday at the age of 86:
1955 - Won gold medal at Pan American Games in Mexico City, competing in just his fourth decathlon.
1955 - Set decathlon world record with 7,985 points at a meet in his hometown of Kingsburg, California.
1956 - Won first national decathlon championship.
1956 - Won silver medal at Melbourne Olympics.
1958 - Set world record (8,357 points) while defeating Vasily Kuznetsov of the Soviet Union during a U.S.-Soviet dual meet in Moscow.
1958 - Sets another world record (8,683 points) in Eugene, Oregon.
1960 - Won Olympic gold medal at Rome Games.
1960 - Named Associated Press Athlete of the Year and winner of James E. Sullivan Award as nation’s outstanding amateur athlete.
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