 Wint wins the 1948 Olympic 400 m final | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1920-05-25)25 May 1920 |
| Died | 19 October 1992(1992-10-19) (aged 72) Linstead, Jamaica |
| Height | 194 cm (6 ft 4 in) |
| Weight | 77 kg (170 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event(s) | 400 m, 800 m ran in London |
| Club | Polytechnic Harriers[1] |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personalbest(s) | 400 m – 46.2 (1948) 800 m – 1:48.9y (1951)[1] |
| High Commission of Jamaica, London of  Jamaicato  United Kingdom | |
| In office July 1974 – March 1978 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Laurence Lindo |
| Succeeded by | Ernest Grafford Peart |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Service years | 1942-1947 |
| Rank | Flight Lieutenant |
Arthur Stanley WintODMBE (25 May 1920 – 19 October 1992) was a JamaicanRoyal Air Force (RAF) pilot during theSecond World War, a sprinter, a physician, and later theHigh Commissioner to the United Kingdom. While competing at the 1948 and 1952 Olympics, whilst a medical student atSt Bartholomew's Hospital, London, he won two gold and two silver medals, becoming the firstJamaican Olympic gold medalist.[2][3][4]
Arthur Wint, known as theGentle Giant, was born in Plowden,Manchester, Jamaica. While at Calabar High School, he ran sprints and did both the high jump and long jump. He later transferred to Excelsior High School, where he finished his secondary education. In 1937 he was the Jamaica Boy Athlete of the year, and the following year won a gold medal in the 800 metres at theCentral American Games inPanama.[1]
In 1942 he joined theBritish Commonwealth Air Training Plan and set the Canadian 400-metre record while training there. He was sent to Great Britain for active combat duringWorld War II as aSpitfire pilot.[1] He left theRoyal Air Force in 1947 to study medicine atSt Bartholomew's Hospital, through the British further education and vocational training scheme for ex-servicemen.[1][5]
Wint won the BritishAAA Championships titles in the 440 and 880 yards events at the1946 AAA Championships.[6][7] He would later win three more AAA titles.[8][9]
In the 1948 London Games, Wint won Jamaica's first Olympic gold medal for the 400 metres (46.2 seconds), beating his team-mateHerb McKenley. In the 800 metres he won silver, afterAmericanMal Whitfield's gold. Wint missed a probable third medal when he pulled a muscle in the 4 × 400 metresrelay final.[1]
InHelsinki in 1952 he was part of the historic team setting the world record while capturing the gold in the 4 × 400 metres relay. He also won silver in the 800 metres, again coming second to Mal Whitfield.[1]
Wint ran his final race in 1953 atWembley Stadium, finished his internship, and graduated as a doctor. The following year he was made aMember of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) byQueen Elizabeth II in the1954 New Year Honours.[10] In 1955 Wint returned to Jamaica, eventually settling inHanover as the only resident doctor in the parish. In 1973 he was awarded the Jamaica honour of theOrder of Distinction. He served as Jamaica'sHigh 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 (2003).[1]
Wint died on Heroes Day inLinstead, aged 72.[1] His funeral was attended by hundreds of people, including theJamaican Prime Minister.[11] In 2012, a Blue Heritage Plaque was unveiled at 22 Philbeach Gardens in Earls Court, London, where he lived while studying medicine.[12] At the same event, his daughter launched her book about him, titledThe Longer Run.[12]
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| National | |
| People | |
