Jack Braughton Explained

Jack Braughton
Nationality:British
Sport:Long-distance running
Birth Date:22 February 1921
Birth Place:Grimsby, England

Jack Braughton (22 February 1921  - 30 October 2016)[1] [2] was a British long-distance runner who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics.[3] He was born in Grimsby.[4] [5]

Biography

Braughton was born in February 1921 in Grimsby and attended Grimsby Technical College.[2] He ran for Cleethorpes Harriers and Grimsby Harriers, winning the Eastern-Counties Junior Cross-Country title in 1939.[2] Braughton was in the army in India, where he continued running, with the aim of competing at the Olympics.[2] He joined the Blackheath Harriers,[5] and later won multiple titles in Surrey in the three-mile event.[2]

Braughton worked on a building site,[6] and needed permission to take time off from work to compete at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.[7] He had to do so in his own time, and was not paid to take time off from work.[8] Braughton raced in the men's 5000 metres, finishing in eighth place in his heat.[9] As an amateur, he lost half a day's pay, and made his own way to Wembley Stadium using public transport.[10] Once at the stadium, he changed into his running gear, competed in the heat, and went home.[11]

After the Olympics, Braughton carried on with running.[12] In 1955, he finished in sixth place in his first ever marathon.[5] He continued to take part in running until he was 80 years old.[5] At the age of 90, he also did ballroom dancing four days a week.[5]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.bandbhac.org.uk/ Notice of Jack Braughton's death
  2. Web site: Jack Braughton . Olympedia . 11 May 2022.
  3. Web site: The Southerner Issue 48 (Sept 2006) . The Southerner . 11 May 2022.
  4. https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/br/jack-braughton-1.html . 2 July 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120727085252/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/br/jack-braughton-1.html . 27 July 2012 .
  5. Web site: Jack Braughton, one of Britain's oldest athletics Olympians, dies aged 95 . Athletics Weekly . 11 May 2022.
  6. Web site: The Austerity Games: When the world came together again after VE Day . Team GB . 11 May 2022.
  7. Web site: Olympian Jack Braughton shares his memories of the 1948 games . This Is Local London . 11 May 2022.
  8. Web site: TAKE SOME HORLICKS AND BRING YOUR OWN TOWEL . The Lady . 11 May 2022.
  9. Web site: 5,000 metres, Men . Olympedia . 11 May 2022.
  10. Web site: Olympian Jack Braughton shares his memories of the 1948 games . News Hopper . 11 May 2022.
  11. Web site: 2012 Games a world away from London 1948 . Bangkok Post . 11 May 2022.
  12. Web site: 91-year-old runner remembers 1948 London Olympics . Toronto Sun . 11 May 2022.