 Earl Thomson in 1920 | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | February 15, 1895 Birch Hills,Northwest Territories, Canada | |||||||||||
| Died | May 19, 1971 (aged 76) Oceanside, California, United States | |||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||
| Event(s) | Hurdles,high jump | |||||||||||
| Club | Prince Albert | |||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||
| Personalbest(s) | 110 mH – 14.4 (1920) HJ – 1.803 m (1918)[1][2] | |||||||||||
Medal record
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Earl John "Tommy" Thomson (February 15, 1895 – May 19, 1971) was a Canadian athlete, a specialist in the highhurdles.[3][4] In 1920 he became the first Olympic gold medalist in 110 m hurdles from outside the United States.[1][5]
Born inBirch Hills,Northwest Territories (now inSaskatchewan), Thomson moved to southernCalifornia at age 8, because the warm weather would be better for his mother. Thomson attendedLong Beach Poly, where he won the 120 yard hurdles at the firstCIF California State Meet in 1915. He also was second in the high jump and fourth in the discus throw.[6] In 1916 he joined theRoyal Canadian Air Force, and served there duringWorld War I.[1] He then went to theUniversity of Southern California for one year and then transferred toDartmouth College. He graduated from there in 1922.[7] In 1918, he had already won theAAU championships in the high hurdles,[8] and in 1920, he set a newworld record in the 110 m hurdles, running 14.4. This record would remain unbeaten until 1931, although it was equaled a number of times. He sought to represent the United States at the1920 Summer Olympics inAntwerp, but was ruled ineligible due to his Canadian citizenship. He then joined the Canadian Olympic team.[9]
At the Olympics, Thomson won a clear victory over his American rivals. The following year, he equaled his own world record, and won the AAU,IC4A andNCAA championships. That year he also won the 220 yard low hurdles.[10] He retired after his third AAU title, in 1922.[3]
Later, Thomson became a track and field coach, coaching the team of theUnited States Naval Academy inAnnapolis, Maryland for 36 years.[11]
In 1930 Thomson, along withHarold Barron andHarry Hillman, was involved in the design of a new safer hurdle, with a view to reducing the danger of bad falls and injuries.[12]
Thomson was an inaugural inductee toCanada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1955.[3] He died ofcancer inOceanside, California aged 76.[13]
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