Former world 400 metres record-holder and twice Olympic medallist Larry James has died of cancer, USA Track & Field said on Friday.

American James, a double medallist at the 1968 Games in Mexico City, died on Thursday in Smithville, New Jersey on his 61st birthday.

Nicknamed 'The Mighty Burner', James set a world record of 44.1 seconds for the 400 while finishing second behind Lee Evans at the 1968 Olympic trials in Echo Summit, California.

Evans won the race in 44.0 but his time was disallowed by the IAAF because he wore illegal brush spike shoes.

James went on to claim the Olympic silver medal in the 400, behind Evans, in Mexico City before adding a gold after running the third leg of the 4x400 relay. The US set a world record of 2:56.16 in that relay which lasted until 1992.

A multiple winner of NCAA titles, James was inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2003.