Harry Wilson (hurdler)

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Harry Wilson

| nickname =

| image = Harry Wilson (hurdler) 1919.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Wilson in 1919

| birth_name = Harry Ernest Wilson

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1896|5|28|df=y}}

| birth_place = Wellington, New Zealand

| death_date = {{death date and age|1979|8|11|1896|5|28|df=yes}}{{Olympedia|74366}}

| death_place =

| spouse = {{marriage|Sybil Elizabeth Hippsley|1920}}

| height = {{convert|5|ft|11|in|m|2|abbr=on|order=flip}}{{cite web |url=http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE21423892 |title=Wilson, Harry Ernest – WWI 37204 – Army |publisher=Archives New Zealand |access-date=30 April 2017}}

| weight = {{convert|168|lb|kg|0|abbr=on|order=flip}}

| sport = Athletics

| event = 110, 400 m hurdles, 200 m

| club =

| nationals = 100 yds champion (1922)
220 yds champion (1922)
120 yds hurdles champion (1920, 1921, 1923)
440 yds hurdles champion (1915, 1920, 1921, 1923)

| pb = 110 mH – 14.8 (1921)
400 mH – 62.5 (1915)
200 m – 22.3 (1921){{cite web |url=http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=7263&Gender=M |title=Track and field statistics: Harry Wilson |website=trackfield.brinkster.net |access-date=30 April 2017}}

}}

Harry Ernest Wilson (28 May 1896 – 11 August 1979) was a New Zealand hurdler who competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp and at the 1919 Inter-Allied Games in Paris. In 1920 he finished fourth in the 110 metre hurdles competition. He was the Olympic flag bearer for New Zealand in 1920.

Early life and family

Wilson was born in Wellington on 28 May 1896,{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wi/harry-wilson-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417184043/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wi/harry-wilson-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |title=Harry Wilson |accessdate=30 April 2017}} the son of Thomas and Ann Maria Wilson. He was educated at Berhampore School, and then at Wellington College between 1911 and 1912.{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTR19240202.2.51 | title=Harry Wilson | date=2 February 1924 | work=NZ Truth | access-date=30 April 2017 | page=9}}{{cite journal |first=Paddianne |last=Neely |date=November 2012 |title=The archives |url=http://www.wellington-college.school.nz/sites/default/files/page/attacments/Lampstand%202012%20Web.pdf |journal=The Lampstand |publisher=Wellington College Old Boys' Association |issue=22 |page=10 |access-date=30 April 2017}} On 20 September 1920 he married Sybil Elizabeth Hippsley at Wolverton, Buckinghamshire, England,{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19200928.2.103 | title=Women in print | date=28 September 1920 | work=Evening Post | access-date=30 April 2017 | page=9}} and the couple went on to have four children.

Military service

After the outbreak of World War I, Wilson travelled to England as a civilian and worked on munitions. Between 1917 and 1919, he served with the New Zealand Field Artillery (NZFA) and, after the Armistice, in the Pay Corps in London. During World War II he was a second lieutenant in the New Zealand Territorial Force.

Athletics

In all, Wilson won nine New Zealand national athletics titles between 1915 and 1923: the 100 yards and 220 yards titles in 1922; the 120 yards hurdles in 1920, 1921 and 1923; and the 440 yards hurdles in 1915, 1920, 1921 and 1923.{{cite web |url=http://www.anzrankings.org.nz/userfiles/file/National_Champions.pdf |title=National champions 1887–2016 |date=December 2016 |publisher=Athletics New Zealand |access-date=30 April 2017 | first=Stephen | last=Hollings}}

While serving with the NZFA in France, Wilson competed at a meet at the base in Étaples, winning the 100 yards, 220 yards, 120 yards hurdles, long jump, high jump, and cricket ball throw. In 1919 he was a member of the New Zealand team that competed in the Inter-Allied Games in Paris, and finished third in the 120 yards hurdles behind the Americans Robert Simpson and Fred Kelly. Later in 1919, Wilson won the 120 yards hurdles at the British Army championship meeting at Aldershot, and went on to win the British AAA Championships title over the same distance at the 1919 AAA Championships, held at Stamford Bridge, London.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000681/19190707/133/0007 |title=AAA Championships |work=Daily Herald |date=7 July 1919 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=21 November 2024 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000728/19190707/010/0010 |title=Amateur Champions |work=Daily Record |date=7 July 1919 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=21 November 2024 }}{{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=21 November 2024 }}

{{cite web |url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/bc2.htm |title=British athletics championships 1919–1939 |website=gbrathletics.com |publisher=Athletics Weekly |access-date=30 April 2017}}

After winning the 120 yards hurdles at the 1920 Australasian athletics championship, Wilson was one of four members of the New Zealand team at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, and was the team's flagbearer.{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TH19200603.2.52 | title=Olympic Games: farewell to competitors | date=3 June 1920 | work=Taranaki Herald | access-date=30 April 2017 | page=4}} Competing in the 110 m hurdles, Wilson finished fourth in the final,{{cite web |url=https://olympic.org.nz/athletes/harry-wilson |title=Harry Wilson |year=2016 |publisher=New Zealand Olympic Committee |access-date=30 April 2017}} 0.5 m behind the bronze medal winner.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1920/ATH/mens-110-metres-hurdles-final.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417172647/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1920/ATH/mens-110-metres-hurdles-final.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |title=Athletics at the 1920 Antwerpen Summer Games: men's 110 metres hurdles final |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=30 April 2017}}

Wilson broke his leg while competing at the Australasian championship meeting at Hobart in 1924.{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19240214.2.12.4 | title=Athletic notes | date=14 February 1924 | work=Otago Daily Times | access-date=30 April 2017 | page=4}}{{cite news | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/190360950 | title=Amateur athletics: Australasian championships | date=8 February 1924 | work=The World | access-date=30 April 2017 | page=7}}

References

External links

{{Sports links}}

Category:1896 births

Category:1979 deaths

Category:People educated at Wellington College, Wellington

Category:Athletes from Wellington City

Category:New Zealand male hurdlers

Category:Olympic athletes for New Zealand

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1920 Summer Olympics

Category:New Zealand military personnel of World War I

Category:New Zealand military personnel of World War II

Category:Australian Athletics Championships winners

Category:New Zealand Athletics Championships winners