John Thomas Holden (13 March 1907 – 7 March 2004) was a
long-distance runner
Long-distance running, or endurance running, is a form of continuous running over distances of at least . Physiologically, it is largely Aerobic exercise, aerobic in nature and requires endurance, stamina as well as mental strength.
Within e ...
from
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, who won four consecutive national titles in the
marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...
(1947–1950).
Athletics career
He represented
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
at the
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London 1948) were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London, England, United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus ca ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, 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.
[
He competed for ]England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
in the 3 and 6 miles at the 1934 British Empire Games
The 1934 British Empire Games were the second edition of what is now known as the Commonwealth Games, held in England, from 4–11 August 1934. The host city was London, with the main venue at Wembley Park, although the track cycling events wer ...
in London. He competed for England at the 1938 British Empire Games
England competed at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, from 5 February to 12 February 1938.
The athletes that competed are listed below.
Athletes Athletics
Boxing
Cycling
Diving
Lawn bowls
Rowing
...
in the 6 miles and marathon.
He was also a successful cross country runner
Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open coun ...
, becoming the first man to win the International Cross Country Championships
The International Cross Country Championships was an annual international competition in cross country running. It was created in 1903 by the International Cross Country Union (ICCU) and it marked the first time that an annual international champ ...
four times, which he did between 1933 and 1939.[International Cross Country Championships]
GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 14 February 2011.
Personal life
During World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
Holden served with the Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
. In the 1950s, Coseley
Coseley ( ) is a village in the north of the Dudley Metropolitan Borough, in the English West Midlands. Part of the Black Country, it is situated approximately north of Dudley itself, on the border with Wolverhampton. Though it is a part of ...
Urban District
Urban district may refer to:
* District
* Urban area
* Quarter (urban subdivision)
* Neighbourhood
Specific subdivisions in some countries:
* Urban districts of Denmark
* Urban districts of Germany
* Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland) (hist ...
Council
A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...
named a new road on the Woodcross
Woodcross is a residential area of Coseley, West Midlands, England. It is set within the City of Wolverhampton, though the area traditionally existed within the boundaries of Sedgley and later Coseley until 1966.
History
The first known record ...
housing estate Jack Holden Avenue in honour of this local sporting legend. On 23 July 1952, Jack Holden's Gardens were opened on Queens Road, Tipton.Brief History of Tipton
tiptoncivicsociety.co.uk
Holden died in March 2004, six days before his 97th birthday. He was survived by daughter Joan and son-in-law Brian.
IAAF
World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (from 1912 to 2001) and International Association of Athletics Federations (from 2001 to 2019, both abbreviated as the IAAF) is the international governing body for ...
(10 March 2004). Retrieved on 2011-01-27.
References
External links
Jack Holden Obituary ''The Times''. 26 March 2004
* Simon Turnbull (11 January 2004
''The Independent''
1907 births
2004 deaths
Military personnel from Staffordshire
Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
Royal Air Force airmen
People from Bilston
Sportspeople from Tipton
English male marathon runners
Olympic athletes of Great Britain
Athletes (track and field) at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England
Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics
Athletes (track and field) at the 1950 British Empire Games
European Athletics Championships medalists
International Cross Country Championships winners
{{England-athletics-bio-stub