Harold A. Wilson

For other people named Harold Wilson, see Harold Wilson (disambiguation).

Medal record
Harold A. Wilson
Men's athletics
Competitor for United Kingdom
Olympic Games
Silver	1908 London	1500 metres

Mel Sheppard narrowly defeating Harold Wilson in the 1500 metres race in the 1908 Olympic Games.

Harold Allan Wilson (January 21, 1885 – 1916) was an English athlete. Born in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England, he won the silver medal in the men's 1500 metres race at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, competing on the Great Britain and Ireland team. He was a member of the Hallamshire Harriers and the Irish American Athletic Club.

He was the first man to run a sub four minute 1,500m, with a time of 3:59.8 in 1905.

In the 1908 Olympic Games Wilson won his semifinal in the 1500 with a time of 4:11.4; his time in the final was 4:03.6, fractions of a second behind America's premier runner of the day, Melvin Sheppard of the Irish American Athletic Club, with a time of 4:03.4. "Wilson won a trial heat in fast time, but in the final had to bow to the superior speed of America's premier runner, Melvin Sheppard, and in this event forced him to break the record for the distance to win."

The following year, Wilson was in Queens, New York, competing alongside Sheppard wearing the Winged Fist of the Irish American Athletic Club. He competed in the U.S. during the 1909 outdoor season, and was considered one of the best mile runners in competition. In 1909 he turned professional and met with a certain amount of success in Canada and South Africa.

He died in France in 1916.

References

• Cook, Theodore Andrea (May 1909) (PDF). The Fourth Olympiad London 1908 Official Report. London: British Olympic Association. http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1908/1908.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-29. 
• De Wael, Herman (2001). "Athletics 1908". Herman's Full Olympians. http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/ath1908.html. Retrieved 30 July 2006. 
• Wudarski, Pawel (1999). "Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich". http://olympic.w.interia.pl/. Retrieved 30 July 2006.  (Polish)

External links

• Sports-reference profile
• Winged Fist Organization