Jack Holden (athlete)

John ("Jack") Thomas Holden (March 13, 1907 – March 7, 2004) was a long-distance runner from England, who won four consecutive national titles in the men's marathon (1947 to 1950). He represented Great Britain at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, where he finished the men's marathon in 36th place.

Born in Bilston but raised in Tipton, Holden made his name in the 1930s. He won the AAA six miles in 1933, 1934 and 1935 and the AAA 10 miles in 1934. He also won the "National" in 1938, 1939 and 1946. Like many sportspeople of the period his career was interrupted by the Second World War.

Despite the long break in official competition between 1940 and 1945 Holden appeared to have continued where he left off in the 1930s, despite being almost 40 years old. Besides winning the AAA Marathon title four years in succession, in 1950, at the age of 43, he won the European and 1950 British Empire Games Marathon titles. In all he won 57 major titles during his career.

During the 1950s, Coseley Urban District Council named a new road on the Woodcross housing estate Jack Holden Avenue in honour of this local sporting legend.

Holden died in March 2004, six days before what would have been his 97th birthday.

References

* [http://www.runnersweb.nl/runnersweb/show/id=41466 Runners Web]