Harry Jerome, OC, OLY
(1940 - 1982)
(1940 - 1982)
Harry Winston Jerome was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and moved with his family to North Vancouver, BC in 1951. They were the only people of African descent in their conservative, all-white neighbourhood. Jerome’s motto was “Never give up,” and he showed that time and time again, proving his critics wrong.
A talented athlete, Harry played soccer, football, and baseball, but his speed let him to really excel in track and field. He began to seriously compete in track and field and by the time he turned 18, and became the first runner in 31 years to beat the previous record for the 220 yard sprint set by Percy Williams. A year later, he matched the world record for the 100m race at 10.0 seconds flat, and became the world’s fastest man when he tied the world record for the 100 yard event at 9.3 seconds. This made him one to watch and a favorite to win gold at the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome.
He made it to the Olympic Games in Rome, and was in the lead for the 100m semi-final, but a torn hamstring forced him to pull out of the competition; he was unable to finish the race and that cost him his medal. Two years later at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia, Jerome pulled up lame in the 100 yard final. Critics labeled him a quitter, stating that he simply couldn’t handle the competition. In actuality, Jerome had torn his whole left quadricep muscle and required a four hour surgery to repair it. Some said he’d never be able to race again.
Harry proved them wrong when he made it to the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and claimed the bronze medal in the 100m final, just two one hundredths of a second away from a silver medal. At the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Jamaica, Jerome won his first gold and one his second Gold at the 1967 Pan-American games. From 1960-1966, Jerome held seven world records!
In Harry’s final competitive season, he placed seventh in the 100m event, once again representing Canada at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
While he was racing and setting records, Harry didn’t give up on his education either. He graduated from North Vancouver High School in 1959 and accepted an athletic scholarship to Oregon State University in Eugene. His coach was Bill Bowerman, who would eventually co-found Nike. Coach Bowerman even hand-crafted some of Harry’s racing shoes. Jerome graduated from university and worked towards a Master’s degree in physical education while he was racing.
Thanks to his great experience and education, Harry was able to devote the rest of his short life to sport, especially through mentoring youth. Jerome worked in the Federal Ministry of Sport and developed British Columbia’s Premier’s Sport Awards Program to encourage young people to strive for their own athletic dreams (the Program has now been retired). In his honour, the “Harry Jerome International Track Classic” is held annually and is deemed a qualification event. The Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) hosts the “Harry Jerome Awards” annually to recognize members of the African-Canadian community.
Harry was also recognized for his great achievements on and off the field: he was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 1966; Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1963; Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1971; became a member of the Order of Canada in 1973, and; earned a place on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2001. For his outstanding athletic achievements, Jerome was named British Columbia’s male athlete of the twentieth century. He suffered a seizure in 1981 and never fully recovered. Sadly, 1982, a brain aneurysm suddenly took his life when he was just 42 years of age.
A talented athlete, Harry played soccer, football, and baseball, but his speed let him to really excel in track and field. He began to seriously compete in track and field and by the time he turned 18, and became the first runner in 31 years to beat the previous record for the 220 yard sprint set by Percy Williams. A year later, he matched the world record for the 100m race at 10.0 seconds flat, and became the world’s fastest man when he tied the world record for the 100 yard event at 9.3 seconds. This made him one to watch and a favorite to win gold at the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome.
He made it to the Olympic Games in Rome, and was in the lead for the 100m semi-final, but a torn hamstring forced him to pull out of the competition; he was unable to finish the race and that cost him his medal. Two years later at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia, Jerome pulled up lame in the 100 yard final. Critics labeled him a quitter, stating that he simply couldn’t handle the competition. In actuality, Jerome had torn his whole left quadricep muscle and required a four hour surgery to repair it. Some said he’d never be able to race again.
Harry proved them wrong when he made it to the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and claimed the bronze medal in the 100m final, just two one hundredths of a second away from a silver medal. At the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Jamaica, Jerome won his first gold and one his second Gold at the 1967 Pan-American games. From 1960-1966, Jerome held seven world records!
In Harry’s final competitive season, he placed seventh in the 100m event, once again representing Canada at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
While he was racing and setting records, Harry didn’t give up on his education either. He graduated from North Vancouver High School in 1959 and accepted an athletic scholarship to Oregon State University in Eugene. His coach was Bill Bowerman, who would eventually co-found Nike. Coach Bowerman even hand-crafted some of Harry’s racing shoes. Jerome graduated from university and worked towards a Master’s degree in physical education while he was racing.
Thanks to his great experience and education, Harry was able to devote the rest of his short life to sport, especially through mentoring youth. Jerome worked in the Federal Ministry of Sport and developed British Columbia’s Premier’s Sport Awards Program to encourage young people to strive for their own athletic dreams (the Program has now been retired). In his honour, the “Harry Jerome International Track Classic” is held annually and is deemed a qualification event. The Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) hosts the “Harry Jerome Awards” annually to recognize members of the African-Canadian community.
Harry was also recognized for his great achievements on and off the field: he was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 1966; Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1963; Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1971; became a member of the Order of Canada in 1973, and; earned a place on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2001. For his outstanding athletic achievements, Jerome was named British Columbia’s male athlete of the twentieth century. He suffered a seizure in 1981 and never fully recovered. Sadly, 1982, a brain aneurysm suddenly took his life when he was just 42 years of age.
