KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Merwin Graham was born in West Virginia and grew up in Oklahoma, but he rose to prominence as a track and field athlete at the University of Kansas in the mid-1920s.
Graham competed on the Jayhawks track and field team from 1923-25, serving as a captain his senior year.
The summer after his junior season, Graham won the U.S. Olympic Trials in the triple jump and went to finish ninth at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
Graham also competed in the long, sprints and hurdles at KU.
Graham was inducted into the Drake Relays Hall of Fame in 1959. He was part of the inaugural class to mark the 50th anniversary of the meet as a triple jumper.
He was inducted into the KU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.
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The Kansas City region has a deep, rich history with respect to the Olympic Games. As the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games approach with the Opening Ceremony scheduled for July 23, we will profile an athlete with ties to Kansas City, Missouri or Kansas each day.
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