James Peters (athlete)

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For the rugby union and rugby league player see James Peters

James Henry Peters - often known as Jim Peters - (born October 24, 1918 in London – died January 9, 1999 in Thorpe Bay) is a former long-distance runner from England, who set new marathon records four times during the 1950s. However, he is most remembered when he entered the Vancouver, British Columbia stadium near the end of the 1954 Commonwealth Games marathon with a five-kilometre (three-mile) lead but, severely dehydrated, staggered and collapsed several times and could not finish the final lap.

After retiring from competitive athletics, he worked as an optician in Chadwell Heath, Essex.