Archie Robertson
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Olympic medal record | |||
Men's Athletics | |||
---|---|---|---|
Gold | 1908 London | 3 mile team | |
Silver | 1908 London | 3200 m steeplechase |
Arthur James "Archie" Robertson (born April 19, 1879 in Sheffield, Yorkshire - died April 18, 1957 in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire) was a Scottish athlete. He competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
The son of a Glasgow doctor, Robertson was educated at Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow before moving to King's School, Peterborough at the age of 14.A brilliant all-round sportsman, he initially concentrated on cycling and only took up serious athletics at the age of 25.
In March 1908 he won both the English and International cross-country championships and a 2nd place finish in the 4 mile race at the AAA championship earned him a place at the Olympics.
Robertson won easily in the first round of the 3,200 metres steeplechase, finishing in 11:10.0. In the final, he trailed for most of the race. At the bell, he passed one of the two then-leaders, American John Eisele. Robertson was not quite able to catch the other leader, however, and trailed fellow Briton Arthur Russell by two yards at the finish. His final time was 10:48.4. At the same Olympics he won gold as a member of the 3-man 3 mile team race.
In September 1908 he set a world record of 15:01.2 for the 5000m in Stockholm. He retired from athletics after 1909 season and returned to cycling.
[edit] References
- Buchanan, Ian British Olympians. Guinness Publishing (1991) ISBN 0-85112-952-8
[edit] External links
Categories: Athletes at the 1908 Summer Olympics | Olympic competitors for Great Britain | Olympic gold medalists for Great Britain | Olympic silver medalists for Great Britain | Scottish athletes | Long-distance runners | Scottish Sports Hall of Fame | Sportspeople of multiple sports | 1879 births | 1957 deaths | Scottish sportspeople stubs | United Kingdom athletics biography stubs