London 1948 (Arthur Wint) 400m men

Arthur Stanley Wint (May 25, 1920 -- October 19, 1992) was the first Jamaican Olympic gold medalist, winning the 400 m at 1948 Summer Olympics.

Arthur Wint, known as the Gentle Giant, was born in Plowden, Manchester, Jamaica. In 1937 he was the Jamaica Boy Athlete of the year, the following year he won a gold medal in the 800 m at the Central American Games in Panama.

In 1942 he joined the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and set the Canadian 400 m record while training there. He was sent to Britain for active combat during the World War II as a pilot. He left the Royal Air Force in 1947 to attend St Bartholomew's Hospital as a medical student.

In 1948 Wint won Jamaica's first Olympic gold for the 400 m (46.2) in London, beating his team-mate Herb McKenley. In 800 m he won silver after American Mal Whitfield. He probably missed his third medal in London Games by pulling a muscle in the 4 x 400 m relay final.

In Helsinki 1952 he was part of the historic team setting the world record while capturing the gold in 4 x 400 m relay. He also won silver in 800 m, again coming second to Mal Whitfield.

He ran his final race in 1953 at Wembley Stadium, finished his internship, graduated as a doctor and the following year he was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. In 1955 Wint returned to Jamaica eventually settling in Hanover as the only resident doctor in the parish. In 1973 he was awarded the Jamaica honour of the Order of Distinction. He served as Jamaica's High Commissioner to Britain and ambassador to Sweden and Denmark from 1974 to 1978. He was inducted in the Black Athlete's Hall of Fame in the US (1977), the Jamaica Sports Hall of Fame (1989) and the Central American & Caribbean Athletic Confederation Hall of Fame

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• 400m
• 1948
• athletics
• Jamaica
• Olympics
• olympic
• 2012
• London

[sbtbfanatic]

@cmcgbbn Wint was a champion without resorting to steroids, unlike the juiced-up Bolt.

[trickygoose2]

Arthur Wint was my dad's boyhood athletic hero and many years later he presented the medal to my Dad that he won at a marathon.

[chartsounds]

Jamaica have the track events lock from long time

[MrReeceyboy97]

My dad's a wint and I reasearched him realised I was related to him and now him and ellary hanley both inspire me to do my best ( ellery hanley im also related to)

[cmcgbbn]

jamaica, jamaica, jamaica, .......... usain bolt forerunner..... long time jamaica doing well. not a hurry come-up country... 1st and 2nd..... well done arthur wint and herb mckenley, your names will live on and on and on.....