The American, who finished second to his training partner Carl Lewis at Los Angeles 1984, also won the 200m at the World Indoor Championships in Indianapolis in 1987.

A star for Madison High School in Houston, Baptiste took his talents to the University of Houston, where he was the National Collegiate Athletic Association bronze medallist in the 200m as a freshman in 1983.

He moved up to gold in 1984 and 1985 and added a bronze in the 100m in 1984.

At the United States Olympic Trials in 1984, Baptiste set a personal best of 20.05sec in the 200m to take second and earn a place at Los Angeles 1984.

In Los Angeles, he won his heat, quarter-final and semi-final before sprinting to silver as the US swept the medals, lowering his lifetime best to 19.96.

Later that season, in London, Baptiste set a world best in the 300m with a 31.70.

Baptiste left the University of Houston after the 1985 season and won national titles in the 100m and 200m that summer.

He went on to win the World Indoor Championships 200m at Indianapolis in 1987 with a 20.73.

Lewis led the tributes to Baptiste.

"I'm still processing the loss of my good friend Kirk Baptiste," Lewis said.

"Since the day he walked on campus, he was like a close brother.

"We went through so much together and it was a joy to watch him develop.

"My best memory was in 1984 when we stayed in the same home for the Olympics - our first together.

"He then went on to be an activist, counsellor and leader for all communities.

"He was a founding member of what we call #HTownSpeedCity.

"We're all going to miss him, but I'll miss his laugh the most."

Another training partner Leroy Burrell, the former world record-holder for the 100m, was another to pay tribute.

"Kirk was one of the first people I met on my recruiting visit to the University of Houston back in 1985," Burrell, now University of Houston track and field (UHTF) head coach, said.

"He was a big part of the reason I chose to come here as a student-athlete with Olympic aspirations.

"He grew to be a training partner, teammate, mentor and friend.

"He was a beloved member of the Cougar track and field family and made a point to return to campus frequently for UHTF Alumni events.

"He was a tremendous athlete that rightly belongs among the greatest of Houston Cougar Athletes as a Hall of Honour member but more importantly, he was a great friend.

"The University of Houston Athletics Family lost one of its greats in Kirk Baptiste."

Baptiste was diagnosed with HIV in the 1990s, spending a decade abusing drugs to escape.

In 2006 he began treatment at "A Caring Safe Place" in Houston.

Baptiste died on March 24 in Houston and was buried on April 2.