Victor Louis Johnson, Vic Johnson, (10 May 1883 – 23 June 1951) was a

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track cycling racer who, in 1908, won a gold medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics; became 'World Amateur Sprint Champion' and the 'British National Quarter-mile Champion'. In September 1909 he set three world records at

Herne Hill Velodrome The Herne Hill Velodrome is a velodrome in Herne Hill, in south London. It is one of the oldest cycling tracks in the world, having been built in 1891. It hosted the track cycling events in the 1948 Summer Olympics and was briefly the home of Cry ...

, London, for quarter-mile, three-quarter mile and one mile. His quarter-mile time (28 seconds) stood as the world record for 21 years and as the British amateur record for 'at least 39 years'. His lifetime achievements were celebrated in 1948 when

Cycling Weekly ''Cycling Weekly'' is a British cycling magazine. It is published by Future and is devoted to the sport and pastime of cycling. It used to be affectionately referred to by British club cyclists as "The Comic".

awarded him his own page in the

Golden Book of Cycling The ''Golden Book of Cycling'' was created in 1932 by ''Cycling'', a British cycling magazine, to celebrate "the Sport and Pastime of Cycling by recording the outstanding rides, deeds and accomplishments of cyclists, officials and administrat ...

, which is now held in 'The Pedal Club' archive.

Personal life

Johnson was born at

Aston Manor Aston Manor was a local government district of Warwickshire in what is now northern Birmingham, from the 19th century to 1911, when it was added to Birmingham. The Aston Manor Local Board of Health was formed in 1869, from part of the ancient par ...

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Av ...

1901 census - 22 Station Road, Erdington, Warwickshire, RG 13/2876, page 3 of 41England & Wales Birth Index, Apr/Jun quarter 1883, Victor Louis Johnson, Aston registration district, volume 6d, page 435 During the 1901 census Johnson lived at 22 Station Road,

Erdington Erdington is a suburb and ward of Birmingham in the West Midlands County, England. Historically part of Warwickshire and located northeast of central Birmingham, bordering Sutton Coldfield. It was also a council constituency, managed by its o ...

, Warwickshire where his occupation was listed as carpenter, his father, John T Johnson, was a bicycle maker.

Career

Vic Johnson started cycle racing in 1902 when he joined the 'Rover Racing C.C. During the 1901 census Johnson lived at 22 Station Road,

, Warwickshire where his occupation was listed as carpenter, his father, John T Johnson, was a bicycle maker.'. 1908 was his break-through year when he won 60 races including the National Cyclists' Union (N.C.U.) British National quarter-mile title; the World's Amateur Sprint championship in

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Germany; and the

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660 yards sprint in London, completing a single lap of the track in 51.2 seconds. He also reached final of the Olympic Games 1,000 metre sprint but suffered a puncture and was narrowly beaten into the silver medal position, but the race was declared void when the time limit was exceeded. Johnson rode a 'Rover Path Racer' and the 'very cycle that took him to victory' is on display in the Heritage Cycling Museum at the

Heritage Motor Centre The British Motor Museum in Warwickshire, England holds the world's largest collection of historic British cars, with over 300 cars on display from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and the Jaguar Heritage Trust. History The creation o ...

Gaydon Gaydon is a civil parish and village in Warwickshire, England, situated between Leamington Spa and Banbury. In the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 376, increasing to 446 at the 2011 Census. The village is at the junction of the ...

, Warwickshire. Cycling - Men's Sprint
an

Heritage collection, Profile and image of Victor Johnson
/ref> In September 1909 he set three world records at Herne Hill Velodrome, London, - the unpaced standing-start quarter-mile, three-quarter mile and one mile. The '28 seconds' quarter mile time stood as the world record for 21 years and as the British amateur record for 'at least 39 years'. It only lost its world status when the Union Cycliste Internationale (U.C.I.) changed the rules in 1948 and it was superseded by a slower time. Johnson won the National Cyclists' Union (N.C.U.) quarter-mile championships in 1908, 1911 and 1912. He also won the one-mile championship in 1910 and 1911; and the five-mile championship in 1911.

The Golden Book

Vic Johnson's achievements were celebrated in 1948 when

awarded him his own page in the

.The Golden Book of Cycling - Vic Johnson, 1948. Archive maintained by 'The Pedal Club'.
/ref>

References

External links

Heritage collection, Profile and image of Victor Johnson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Victor 1883 births 1951 deaths English male cyclists English track cyclists English Olympic medallists Olympic cyclists of Great Britain Cyclists at the 1908 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain People from Warwickshire Olympic medalists in cycling Medalists at the 1908 Summer Olympics