In the Bicentennial Year of our nation, John Rudd dominated the 400 intermediate hurdles event in community college men's track and field. Rudd set a PCC, state and national JC record in winning the 400 meters title at the 1976 state meet in Bakersfield.

He came to PCC after serving a few years in the U.S. Army. His time of 50.2 seconds broke fellow PCC Hall of Famer Grant Niederhaus' mark of 50.5 set just the previous season. Rudd's gold medal win would have beaten the NCAA Division II champion as well.  

All the more amazing is that 47 years later, Rudd's time is the longest standing track and field record at PCC. Rudd received an invitation to race in the Olympic Trials in '76. He earned a scholarship to the University of Houston and went on to become a machinist, raising his family in Texas. Rudd passed away in 2020 at the age of 67.