16 Facts About Harry Jerome

Harry Winston Jerome was a Canadian track and field sprinter and physical education teacher.

Harry Jerome won a bronze medal at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and set a total of seven world records over the course of his career.

Harry Jerome was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, the son of Harry Vincent Jerome and Elsie Ellen Howard, and moved to North Vancouver, British Columbia, at age 12.

Harry Jerome's grandfather was John Howard, an American-born railway porter who represented Canada in the 1912 Summer Olympics.

Harry Jerome was a member of the Canadian track and field team at the 1960,1964, and 1968 Summer Olympics, winning 100 metre bronze in 1964.

Harry Jerome wore his University of Oregon sweats, rather than the contemporary practice of an official national outfit for all Olympic appearances, to warm up for the Olympic 100 metres in Tokyo.

Jerome was a member of the University of Oregon relay team that tied the world record of 40.0 seconds in 1962; during the 1962 season, Harry ran 9.2s at the 100 yard dash 2 times.

Harry Jerome remains the only man to have held the 100 yard world record with 3 different times and is the oldest 100y world record holder, at 25 years old.

Harry Jerome never owned the 100y or 100m WR solely but matched his contemporaries.

Harry Jerome continued to sprint successfully until the late 1960s, despite suffering an injury so severe at the Perth Commonwealth Games in 1962 that doctors initially believed he would be crippled for life.

Harry Jerome received a bachelor's degree in physical education from the University of Oregon in 1964 and taught with the Richmond School Board and then with the Vancouver School Board.

Harry Jerome held a number of senior positions in the ministry but resigned over the government's cancellation of a large public-private partnership he had negotiated with Kellogg's to promote youth participation in athletics.

Harry Jerome died of a brain aneurysm on December 7,1982, at the age of 42, in North Vancouver.

In 1970, Harry Jerome was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Harry Jerome was posthumously inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2001 and was named a Person of National Historical Significance in 2010.

Slow-motion close-up footage of Harry Jerome preparing for the race begins at the 26 minute mark and then the race is shown in its entirety at full speed.