John Doms Explained

John Doms (5 November 1924 in Waarloos – 27 June 2013 in Duffel) was a Belgian long-distance runner who competed in cross country running and the steeplechase. His greatest achievements came at the International Cross Country Championships (the precursor to the world championship). He became Belgium's first ever winner of the event in 1948, leading the Belgian men to the team title as well. He returned four times further, taking 12th in both 1949 and 1950, before sinking out of the top twenty at the two following year's races. He shared in the team silver medal in both 1950 and 1951.[1] His Belgian team contemporaries included Marcel Vandewattyne and Lucien Theys.

He was born in Waarloos, Antwerp Province and died in Duffel.[2] He represented Belgium at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, running in the steeplechase, though he was eliminated in qualifying.[3] He represented Belgium on the track at one further major competition – he placed ninth in the 10,000 metres at the 1950 European Athletics Championships.[4]

International competitions

1948International Cross Country ChampionshipsReading, United Kingdombgcolor=gold1stSenior race54:05
bgcolor=gold1stSenior team46 pts
Olympic GamesLondon, United Kingdom6th (q)3000 m s'chase9:41.8
1949International Cross Country ChampionshipsDublin, Ireland12thSenior race49:01
5thSenior team146 pts
1950International Cross Country ChampionshipsBrussels, Belgium12thSenior race46:53
bgcolor=silver2ndSenior team77 pts
European ChampionshipsBrussels, Belgium9th10,000 m31:04.2
1951International Cross Country ChampionshipsCaerleon, United Kingdom21stSenior race?
bgcolor=silver2ndSenior team99 pts
1952International Cross Country ChampionshipsHamilton, United Kingdom41stSenior race?

Notes and References

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20070101213009/http://mypage.bluewin.ch/tomtytom/iccu/ath/4268.html Athletes File International Cross Country Championships Jon Doms
  2. http://www.inmemoriam.be/nl/2013-06-27/john-doms/# John Doms
  3. https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/do/john-doms-1.html John Doms
  4. http://www.european-athletics.org/mm/Document/EventsMeetings/General/01/27/31/44/StatisticsHandbookZ%C3%BCrich2014_Neutral.pdf European Athletics Championships Zürich 2014 - STATISTICS HANDBOOK