A world or American record holder in three throwing events, Lillian Copeland was only a part-time competitor in 1932, when the Olympics were held in Los Angeles. As a student at the University of Southern California, she took time away from her studies to prepare for the Trials. There, she finished third in the discus, before winning the gold medal at the Games on her final throw. The first great American woman weight thrower, Copeland won nine national AAU titles in three events. She was the shot put champion from 1925 through 1928 and again in 1931, the discus champion in 1926 and 1927, and the javelin champion in 1926 and 1931. Copeland set world records in the javelin in 1926, 1927 and 1928, but neither that event nor the shot was on the Olympic program. However, she did win a silver medal in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. Four years later, she won gold in that event with an Olympic record of 133' 2". Amazingly quick for a weight thrower, she was a member of a 440-yard relay team that set a national record in 1928. Copeland worked for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and was a juvenile officer for 24 years.
World Record: Javelin Throw - 38.30 m (February 26, 1927 - ) American Record: Discus Throw - 40.60 m (August 2, 1932 - )
1925 AAU: Shot Put (1st) 1926 AAU: Shot Put (1st) 1926 AAU: Discus Throw (1st) 1926 AAU: Javelin Throw (1st) 1927 AAU: Discus Throw (1st) 1927 AAU: Shot Put (1st) 1928 AAU: Shot Put (1st) 1931 AAU: Shot Put (1st) 1931 AAU: Javelin Throw (1st)
Juvenile officer, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department