America's Jim Hines, the 1968 Olympic 100 metres gold medallist and the first man to officially break the 10-second barrier for the distance, has died at the age of 76 ©Getty Images.

America's Jim Hines, the 1968 Olympic 100 metres gold medallist and the first man to officially break the 10-second barrier for the distance, has died at the age of 76.

The death of Hines, who after his Olympic victory went on to play in the National Football League (NFL) as a wide receiver, was announced by USA Track & Field.

Hines was born in Dumas in Arkansas, in September 1946, but raised in Oakland in California.

Baseball was one of his early sporting interests, but athletics coach Jim Coleman spotted his running ability.

By the time Hines was 17, he already ranked among the top 20 in the world over 100 yards.

Coached by 1956 triple Olympic champion Bobby Morrow, Hines achieved his first United States Championships podium finish in 1965, placing second in the 200m.

Jim HInes won two Olympic gold medals at Mexico City 1968, set two world records and became the first man to break the 10- second barrier for 100m ©Getty Images
Jim HInes won two Olympic gold medals at Mexico City 1968, set two world records and became the first man to break the 10- second barrier for 100m ©Getty Images

In 1966 Hines won the national 200m title, and a year later he won his first national 100y title.

He also set his first ratified world records in 1967, clocking 9.1sec for 100y and 10.0 for 100m.

Hines was the fifth man to claim a share of the world 100m record with that mark.

Another five men went on to tie it.

At the 1968 US Championships in Sacramento, Hines became the first man to officially break the 10-second barrier for 100m, doing so with 9.9, and an electronically timed 10.03, though it was not until 1977 that electronic times were required for record ratification.

Having earned his spot on the US team, Hines went to the Olympic Games in Mexico City that year as the marginal favourite.

He lived up to expectations and used the high altitude to his advantage as he charged to victory in 9.95 - making him the first man officially to break 10 seconds with electronic timing.

Hines' world record lasted 15 years - the longest of any men’s 100m world record in the fully automatic era - before it was finally broken by Calvin Smith in 1983 with 9.93.

He went on to add another Olympic gold medal - and world record - to his collection when he anchored the US to 4x100m victory in 38.24.

Jim Hines had a brief career in the NFL after retiring from athletics, but struggled to find success in the sport ©Getty Images
Jim Hines had a brief career in the NFL after retiring from athletics, but struggled to find success in the sport ©Getty Images

After retiring from athletics at the end of 1968, Hines went on to play briefly in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs.

He struggled to replicate his success on the track in the NFL but did have two catches for 23 yards for Miami in 1969, along with one kick return for 22 yards.

Hines later worked with inner-city youth in Houston, as well as on oil rigs outside the city.

He was inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1979.

There was no cause given for the death of Hines, who passed away on Saturday (June 3).