Leslie Laing at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Photo Credit: S&G/PA Images via Getty Images Leslie “Les” Laing, a member of the 4×400 metre gold medal winning team from the 1952 Helsinki Olympics died on Feb 7. The Linstead, St Catherine, Jamaica native was days away from his 97th birthday. Sources differ on his age, but according to the Olympic.org website, he was born on Feb. 19, 1924. Details of Laing’s death were not released, but his advanced age is considered a factor. In the 1952 Olympics, Laing ran the second leg of the 4×400 metre relay team that won the race in a then world record time of three minutes, 03.9 seconds.