Jack Powell (runner)
{{short description|British middle-distance runner}}
{{use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Jack Powell
| birth_name =
| image =
| caption =
| nationality = British (English)
| sport = Middle-distance running
| event = 800 metres
| club = L.A.C.
| birth_date = {{birth date|1910|11|2|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Harrow, London, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|1982|7|27|1910|11|2|df=yes}}
| death_place = Felpham, England
| height =170 cm
| weight =60 kg
}}
John Vincent Powell (2 November 1910 – 27 July 1982) was a British middle-distance runner. He competed at the 1932 Summer Olympics and the 1936 Summer Olympics.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/po/jack-powell-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418003430/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/po/jack-powell-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Jack Powell Olympic Results |access-date=11 October 2017}} He also competed for England in the 880 yards at the 1934 British Empire Games in London.{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/38279|title=Athletes and Results|publisher=Commonwealth Games Federation}}
Biography
Born at Harrow, London, a twin (one of six children), Powell was educated at Harrow County Grammar School, where he was an outstanding athlete, winning inter-school competitions. Although often referred to as "Jack", he preferred to be called "John".Who was Who among English and European Authors 1931–1949, N-Z, Gale Research Company, 1978, p. 1143{{Cite web|last=Phillips|first=Bob|date=November 2007|title=Track Stats - John Powell|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/trackstats/johnpowell.htm|access-date=2021-06-12|website=www.nuts.org.uk}}
Powell represented London Athletic Club{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/trackstats/johnpowell.htm|title=Track Stats – John Powell|publisher=Northern Athletics}} and finished second behind Tommy Hampson in the 880 yards event at the 1932 AAA Championships.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000320/19320702/059/0006 |title=Amateur Athletics Championships |work=Gloucestershire Echo |date=2 July 1932 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=10 January 2025 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001034/19320703/283/0022 |title=Fast times in AAA Championships |work=Reynolds's Newspaper |date=3 July 1932 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=10 January 2025 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=10 January 2025 }}
Shortly afterwards he was selected to represent Great Britain at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and reached the final of the men's 800 metres.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69401 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=10 January 2025}}
Powell finished behind Jack A. Cooper at the 1934 AAA Championships{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000640/19340714/336/0011 |title=Finals of White City events |work=Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette |date=14 July 1934 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=13 July 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003359/19340715/325/0019 |title=British athletes lose titles |work=Weekly Dispatch (London) |date=15 July 1934 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=13 July 2024}} before participating in the 880 yards at the 1934 British Empire Games in London.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/london-1934/athletes |title=London 1934 Team |website=Team England |access-date=10 January 2025 }}
After finishing second to James Stothard at the 1935 AAA Championships, he finally became national 880 yards champion after winning the British AAA Championships title at the 1936 AAA Championships.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000104/19360711/173/0006 |title=AAA Championships begin |work=Western Mail |date=11 July 1936 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=18 January 2025 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003214/19360713/473/0017 |title=Wooderson wins again |work=Daily Herald |date=13 July 1936 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=18 January 2025 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/bc2.htm|title=BRITISH ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS 1919–1939|publisher=GBR Athletics}} One month later, at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, he was eliminated during the semi-finals of the 800 metres event.
Powell was a journalist; he wrote for the Wembley Observer and Harrow Observer from 1928 to 1937, as well as for various sports papers. He was also a broadcaster and lecturer, a member of the British Council in Iraq. He served as a squadron leader in the RAF during the Second World War, including in the Middle East, and was mentioned in dispatches three times. After the war, he began poultry farming in Sussex, where he lived at Bognor Regis.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Powell, Jack}}
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1932 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Category:British male middle-distance runners
Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain
Category:People from Harrow, London
Category:Athletes from the London Borough of Harrow
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1934 British Empire Games
Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for England
Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
Category:Royal Air Force squadron leaders