Charles Bennett (athlete)

Bennett, a train driver born in Shapwick, Dorset, was one of the top British middle-distance runners in his years, winning the British 4 miles title after winning the AAA Championships title at the 1897 AAA Championships{{cite web|url=https://nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=30 July 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001781/18970705/008/0008 |title=Amateur Athletic Championships |work=Nottingham Guardian |date=5 July 1897 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=30 July 2024}} and 1898 AAA Championships.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000893/18980704/154/0008 |title=The Amateur Athletic Championships |work=Sporting Life |date=4 July 1898 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=30 July 2024}} Additionally, he won the cross country running title in 1899 and 1900.

Also in 1900, the Olympic year, he won the British title in the mile at the 1900 AAA Championships,{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000893/19000709/019/0001 |title=The Amateur Athletic Association Championships |work=Sporting Life |date=9 July 1900 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=30 July 2024}} qualifying himself for the 1500 m in Paris. That distance had a rather weak field, and Bennett lead throughout the race, defeating local favourite Henri Deloge in 4:06.0. That time was an official world record.{{cite web|title=Athletics at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Men's 1,500 metres|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1900/ATH/mens-1500-metres.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417171441/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1900/ATH/mens-1500-metres.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|accessdate=21 May 2017}}

Together with the combined British/Australian 5000 metres team, Bennett won a second Olympic title. Bennett finished first in the race, with an unofficial world record 15:29.2, beating teammate John Rimmer.{{cite web|title=Athletics at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Men's 5,000 metres, Team|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1900/ATH/mens-5000-metres-team.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417175423/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1900/ATH/mens-5000-metres-team.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|accessdate=21 May 2017}} His third event was the 4000 m steeplechase, in which he just failed to catch up with the same Rimmer in the final part of the race, settling for second place.{{cite web|title=Athletics at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Men's 4,000 metres Steeplechase|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1900/ATH/mens-4000-metres-steeplechase.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417173948/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1900/ATH/mens-4000-metres-steeplechase.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|accessdate=21 May 2017}}

Bennett died in Bournemouth, aged 79.

His Olympic achievements were largely forgotten for more than 100 years until his grandson Chris Bennett found his abandoned and overgrown grave in the corner of St Andrew's Churchyard in Kinson. In December 2011 Bennett was commemorated after Anthony Ives Memorials of Bournemouth donated a proper headstone to recognise his feat. The plinth, unveiled on the eve of the year of the 2012 London Olympics, reads: "In loving memory of Charles Bennett 1870-1948. First British track and field athlete to become Olympic Champion. Bennett, known as the Shapwick Express, won two gold medals and a silver at the Paris Games in 1900." The new headstone also remembers Bennett's wife Sarah Lena and reads: "Until the day break."{{cite web|title=Who is Charles Bennett?|url=https://shapwickmile.wordpress.com/charles-bennett/|website=shapwickmile.wordpress.com|date=21 May 2016 |accessdate=21 May 2017}}

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070314125513/http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BENNECHA01 Charles Bennett's profile at databaseOlympics]

{{Footer Olympic Champions 1500 m Men}}

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Category:1871 births

Category:1948 deaths

Category:People from East Dorset District

Category:Sportspeople from Dorset

Category:British male steeplechase runners

Category:English male middle-distance runners

Category:British male middle-distance runners

Category:English male steeplechase runners

Category:English male long-distance runners

Category:British male long-distance runners

Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain

Category:Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain

Category:Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1900 Summer Olympics

Category:English Olympic competitors

Category:Medalists at the 1900 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field)

Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field)