If it wasn’t obvious Burnaby Central student Doug Chapman was destined for an international sprinting career but it became crystal clear one day in 1969. It was at the Vancouver and District Inter-High track meet when Chapman won the 100-yard, 220-yard and 440-yard races along with being on the winning 4×220-yard relay team.
The most impressive result came when Chapman stunned everyone by rocketing across the 100-yard finish line in 9.9 seconds breaking a 42-year-old record high school record held by famed sprinter Percy Williams, who went on to win two gold medals at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam.
Under the tutelage of legendary Burnaby Central track coach Ken Taylor (Burnaby Sports Hall of Fame honoured member inducted in the class of 2003), Chapman’s speed earned him a scholarship to the University of Oregon, a U.S. track and field collegiate power. Here he helped the Ducks win an NCAA championship in 1970, which led to the team being inducted into the school’s sports hall of fame.
Chapman went on to represent Canada at several international competitions. That same year, the 18-year-old was on Canada’s 4×400 relay team that finished fourth at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. At the 1971 Pan American Games in Cali, Columbia, Chapman came in sixth in the 400 metres and fourth in the 4×400 relay. Chapman was also chosen for the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich and the 1973 Pan Pacific Games.
