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Jack Holden (runner)

Jack Holden
Holden on the January 1951 cover of World Sports Magazine
Personal information
Born13 March 1907
Bilston, West Midlands, England
Died7 March 2004 (aged 96)
Cockermouth, Cumbria, England
Sport
SportAthletics
Event3 miles – marathon
ClubTipton Harriers
Achievements and titles
Personal bestMarathon – 2:31:03.4 (1950)[1][2]
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
European Athletics Championships
Gold medal – first place 1950 Brussels Marathon
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1950 Auckland Marathon
International Cross Country Championships
Silver medal – second place 1929 Vincennes Team (18 ind)
Gold medal – first place 1930 Leamington Team (7 ind)
Gold medal – first place 1931 Dublin Team (6 ind)
Silver medal – second place 1932 Brussels Individual
Gold medal – first place 1932 Brussels Team
Gold medal – first place 1933 Caerlon Individual
Gold medal – first place 1933 Caerlon Team
Gold medal – first place 1934 Ayr Individual
Gold medal – first place 1934 Ayr Team
Gold medal – first place 1935 Paris Individual
Gold medal – first place 1935 Paris Team
Silver medal – second place 1936 Blackpool Individual
Gold medal – first place 1936 Blackpool Team
Gold medal – first place 1938 Belfast Team (6 ind)
Gold medal – first place 1939 Cardiff Individual
Silver medal – second place 1939 Cardiff Team
Bronze medal – third place 1946 Ayr Team (6 ind)

John Thomas Holden (13 March 1907 – 7 March 2004) was a long-distance runner from England, who won four consecutive national titles in the marathon (1947–1950).

Athletics career

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Holden finished second behind John Potts in the 3 miles event and second behind James Wood in the 10 miles event at the 1932 AAA Championships.[3][4]

Holden then became the national 6 miles champion after winning the British AAA Championships title at the 1933 AAA Championships. After retaining his 6 miles title and becoming national 10 miles champion at the 1934 AAA Championships,[5] Holden competed for England in the 3 and 6 miles at the 1934 British Empire Games in London.[6]

Holden continued to gain success in British long distance running, winning the 6 miles AAA title at the 1935 AAA Championships.[7][8]. He competed for England at the 1938 British Empire Games in the 6 miles and marathon.[9]

He represented Great Britain at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, but abandoned the race due to foot blisters. He won the 1950 Empire Games marathon in Auckland, running the last nine miles barefoot after his shoes fell apart during the race.[10]

He was also a successful cross country runner, becoming the first man to win the International Cross Country Championships four times, which he did between 1933 and 1939.[11]

Personal life

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During World War II Holden served with the Royal Air Force. In the 1950s, Coseley Urban District Council named a new road on the Woodcross housing estate Jack Holden Avenue. On 23 July 1952, Jack Holden's Gardens were opened on Queens Road, Tipton.[12]

Holden died in March 2004, at age 96. He was survived by daughter Joan and son-in-law Brian.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jack Holden". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 30 January 2012.
  2. ^ "Jack Holden". trackfield.brinkster.net.
  3. ^ "Amateur Athletics Championships". Gloucestershire Echo. 2 July 1932. Retrieved 10 January 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Fast times in AAA Championships". Reynolds's Newspaper. 3 July 1932. Retrieved 10 January 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  6. ^ "London 1934 Team". Team England. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  7. ^ "AAA titles". Daily Herald. 13 July 1935. Retrieved 16 January 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Why Lovelock lost his title". Daily Herald. 15 July 1935. Retrieved 16 January 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Sydney 1938 Team". Team England. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  10. ^ a b Marathon and Cross Country legend Jack Holden passes away. IAAF (10 March 2004). Retrieved on 2011-01-27.
  11. ^ International Cross Country Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 14 February 2011.
  12. ^ Brief History of Tipton. tiptoncivicsociety.co.uk
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