The Athlete

Early Athletic Accomplishments

He began his running career at Calabar High School for Boys (1930-1936). Between 10-16 years old)
During this time he excelled in track and field at Boys’ Championships
He also excelled in long jump and swimming.
He was the Class 3 Champion (under 13) in 1932 & 1933
In 1937 he was Jamaica Champion Boy Athlete
In 1938 just shy of 18 years old, he won a gold medal for the 800-metre race in the Central American & Caribbean Games in Panama. His time was 1:56.3.
He won a bronze medal in the 400m. hurdles at those Game-

Boys Champs Statistics

Pilot Training and Athletics

World War II threatened to halt Arthur's athletic career, but he found ways to keep running.
In 1942, Arthur joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) and trained in Canada through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan,
He took part in Inter-Station Sports and held the Canadian 400m. record

The Running Pilot

1944 - during active service in England, he joined and represented the Polytechnic Harriers, the Royal Air Force (RAF), Combined Services and Great Britain in track events.

Olympic Games

Ran in the Olympic Games in London and was Captain of the Jamaican team.
At the London Olympics (1948) he became Jamaica’s first Olympic Gold Medalist when he won the Gold in the 400m in 46.2 seconds (a world record), beating team-mate Herb McKenley. A national holiday was celebrated in Jamaica.
Won the Silver medal in the 800m, coming second to American, Mal Whitfield
Ran the third leg of the 4x400m relay, but pulled a muscle so the team had to withdraw from the race
1948 – 1952: Arthur continued to run in Great Britain, Ireland, European countries, African countries, the USA and New Zealand.
1952: ran in the Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. there he won Silver in the 800m, again coming second to Mal Whitfield
But the crowning event in Helsinki was the 4x400m relay, which Jamaica won in dramatic fashion, setting the world record of 3:04.04. Wint ran the first leg, followed by team-mates George Rhoden, Herb McKenley and Les Laing.
Arthur Wint also captained the British Empire team
1953: Ran his final race at Wembley Stadium in London

See Some Statistics

Jamaica Olympic Association - Tributes

Recalling the runner - David Thurlow*

No history of World or British athletics in the late 1940's and early 1950's is complete without detailed reference to an athlete the mention of whose name revives so many vivid memories...

The first thing you noticed about Arthur Wint was his height - equivalent to an international high-jump mark in the days immediately after World War II. Then when he began to run, it was his stride - around 9ft. and a bit ....So magnificent was his stride that it sometimes made spectators gasp and laugh in amazement. And then there was the deceptive power. He never seemed to be putting great effort into his running, but that was an illusion. He was covering ground at an incredible speed...

*Excerpt from the November 2006 issue of TrackStats) by David Thurlow.

Arthur Wint