Indian track and field athlete Kenneth Powell reportedly died on Sunday, December 11, 2022, in Bengaluru. He was 82.
His death was announced by the Athletics Federation of India.
According to AFI president Adille Sumariwalla; “Indian athletics grew in stature back in the 60s because of the efforts of athletes like Kenneth Powell who won 19 titles in sprint events in the National Open Championships and National Inter-State Championships.”
“He overcame the disappointment of not being cleared for the Asian Games in Jakarta in 1962 and played a key role in the Indian 4x100m relay team making to the semifinal of the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Similarly, left out of the Asian Games in Bangkok in 1966, he remained motivated and helped India get the relay bronze in 1970 in Bangkok,” Adille Sumariwalla added.
However, Kenneth Powell’s cause of death was not revealed to the public.
Born April 20, 1940 in Kolar, India, Kenneth Powell’s first major competition was the 1957 National School Games in then Calcutta where he finished third.
Powell obtained the sprint double in the inaugural National Inter-State Athletics Championships at Allahabad in February 1963, winning the 100m in 10.8 seconds and the 200m in 22.0 seconds.
He competed in the 1964 Olympics and won the Arjuna Award in 1965.
In Madras’ 1968, he won the 100m dash in 10.7 seconds and the 200m in 21.8 seconds.
Following five years of quitting competitive athletics in 1970, Powell represented Karnataka in the National Handball Championships. He returned to the track and won the 40-44 age group 100m silver in the Asian Masters Athletics meet in Singapore in 1981.
He subsequently made it to the final of the 45-49 age group in the World Masters Championships in Melbourne.