At 5' 10", Hayes Jones was not big by hurdling standards but he was very fast, very competitive and very consistent. Blessed with 9.4 100-yard dash speed and an excellent start, Jones built on an outstanding competitive record to become Olympic champion in the 110m hurdles in 1964. His first major international experience came in 1959, when he won the 110m hurdles at the Pan-American Games. A year later, at the Rome Olympics he was third behind teammates Lee Calhoun and Willie May. He advanced from bronze to gold four years later, winning the Tokyo Olympics in a time of 13.6. At Pontiac High School, he won the Class A state title in the long jump (1956). At Eastern Michigan University, he won the high hurdles and low hurdles doubles at the national championships as a sophomore in 1958. He went on to capture nine AAU hurdles titles over a six-year period. Indoors, where his fast start made him virtually unbeatable, he logged 55 straight wins and set a world indoor best of 6.8 for 60 yards in 1962. While in college, he also ran impressively in both the 100 and 220 and was a member of a world record setting 4x100m relay team. Following his retirement, Jones entered private business.
1960 Olympics: 110 m hurdles (3rd) 1964 Olympics: 110 m hurdles - 13.60 (1st) 1959 Pan-Am Games: 110 m hurdles (1st)
Businessman Recreational director