James Andrew Carlton (10 February 1909 – 4 April 1951) was an Australian sprinter. He competed in 100yd and 220yd events at the

1928 Summer Olympics The 1928 Summer Olympics ( nl, Olympische Zomerspelen 1928), officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad ( nl, Spelen van de IXe Olympiade) and commonly known as Amsterdam 1928, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from ...

, and was eliminated in quarter finals.

Schoolboy star

Carlton was born in South Lismore and was educated at Marist Brothers schools in Lismore, Darlinghurst Sydney and then at

St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill , motto_translation = Strive Strive for better things , established = , type = Independent single-sex secondary day and boarding school , educational_authority = New South Wales Department of Educati ...

where he was a schoolboy and

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sprint champion. In both years 1925 and 1926 he won the New South Wales Amateur Athletic Association 120 handicap yd handicap event, the Catholic schools championship and the New South Wales junior title. In his three senior years at the St Joseph's College from 1925 to 1927 he set

records in the 440yds (three successive records and three victories); the 220yds (two successive records and three victories) and the 100yds (one record and three victories). Carlton first came to the sporting public's notice as a schoolboy in 1927 running the 100 yds in 10.0 s and the 220 yds in 21.8 s both those records stood for twenty-nine years. In March 1927 just turned eighteen, he won the New South Wales senior state titles for 100 and 220 yds.E. L. Quercetani and G. Pallicca (2006) ''A World History of Sprint Racing 1850–2005''. SEP Editrice. p. 57. .

Senior athletic career

At the end of 1927 and just out of school, Carlton ran as the New South Wales representative at an Australasian Games in Wellington and won the 100yd and 200yds events. He joined the Botany Harriers Athletics Club in Sydney and then won three successive

national championship A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or competition, contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the be ...

sprint doubles (100 yds and 200 yds) in 1928, 1930 and 1932 when the championships were only held every two years. He competed at the 1928 Olympics in

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but was run out in the quarter-finals, his form affected by illness ( quinsy). Though selected for the

1930 British Empire Games The 1930 British Empire Games were the inaugural edition of what now is known as the Commonwealth Games, and were held in Hamilton, Ontario, from 16 to 23 August 1930. The games were organized by ''Hamilton Spectator'' sportswriter Bobby Robinso ...

, Carlton did not run. In 1931 Carlton equalled

Eddie Tolan Thomas Edward "Eddie" Tolan (September 29, 1908 – January 30/31, 1967), nicknamed the "Midnight Express", was an American track and field athlete who competed in sprints. He set world records in the 100-yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympi ...

's world record for 100 yards of 9.4s but the record was disallowed as the time had only been taken on two stop watches. His 9.6 national record, set in 1930, stood for twenty-three years. His 20.6s run to win the 220 yards national championship at the

Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in Sydney, Australia. It is used for Test cricket, Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australian rules football and occasionally for rugby league, rugby union and as ...

in 1932 created a sensation, smashing the world record (then 21.0s), and was controversially judged as wind assisted. The judge reportedly used a piece of wood to ascertain the wind speed and his decision was disputed by observers present at the time. The Carlton's time was surpassed only after the Second World War.

Priesthood

In 1932 Carlton retired from athletics and entered the

Missionaries of the Sacred Heart The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC; la, Missionarii Sacratissimi Cordis; french: Missionnaires du Sacré-Coeur) are a missionary congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1854 by Servant of God Jules Chevalier (182 ...

seminary in order to become a priest; a move that meant he could not compete at the 1932 Olympics.James Brock Rowe
"Carlton, James Andrew (1909–1951)"
''Australian Dictionary of Biography'', National Centre of Biography, Australian National University

Marriage

Carlton left the

Sacred Heart Monastery The Sacred Heart Monastery in Kensington, New South Wales, is a monastery of the Catholic men's religious order, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSCs). Since its establishment in 1897 it has played a leading role in the Catholic life of Sy ...

and the priesthood in 1945. He married Enid Alison Symington, of Chatswood, a stenographer, at Chatswood on 10 April 1945. They had two children: Mike (1946-), the well-known Sydney radio broadcaster, and Peter (1950-), who became a human resource manager.

Later life

Carlton then worked as a school teacher at

Barker College , motto_translation = Seek Honour above Rewards , location = Hornsby, Sydney , country = Australia , coordinates = , pushpin_map = Australia Sydney , pushpin_image ...

and in 1948 was appointed as a selector and coach for the New South Wales Amateur Athletic Association. In parallel he wrote sports articles for the ''

Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper i ...

''.

Death

Carlton died of asthma on 4 April 1951, aged 42, at his home in Waitara, Sydney.Fund Opened, ''The (Bathurst) National Advocate'', (Saturday, 9 June 1951), p2.
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlton, James 1909 births 1951 deaths Australian male sprinters Athletes (track and field) at the 1928 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes for Australia World record setters in athletics (track and field) 20th-century Australian Roman Catholic priests Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Australian schoolteachers Respiratory disease deaths in New South Wales Deaths from asthma People educated at St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill Sportspeople from Lismore, New South Wales Sportsmen from New South Wales