Bob Tisdall facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 16 May 1907 Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon |
||||||||||
| Died | 27 July 2004 (aged 97) Nambour, Queensland, Australia |
||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
|||||||||||
Robert Morton Newburgh Tisdall (born 16 May 1907 in Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon – died 27 July 2004 in Nambour, Queensland, Australia) was an Irish athlete. He won a gold medal in the 400-metre hurdles at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Bob Tisdall grew up in Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland. He had only run the 400-meter hurdles six times before the 1932 Olympic Games. He won the gold medal in a time of 51.7 seconds. This would have been a new world record. However, at that time, hitting a hurdle meant the record was not counted. Later, the rules were changed because of this event. The President of the IOC even gave Tisdall a special award. Today, his time is recognized as the first time anyone ran under 52 seconds in this race.
Early Life and Sports
Bob Tisdall was born in Sri Lanka. His family was from Ireland. He lived on his father's farm until he was five years old. Then, he moved back to Ireland. He went to Shrewsbury School and later to Cambridge University.
At Cambridge, he was an amazing athlete. He won four different events in a sports match against Oxford University. This was a record that was only matched almost 60 years later! He even let another runner take his place in one race. This helped his friend earn a special award called a "blue."
In 1929, Tisdall set new records in South Africa and Canada. A year later, he set records in Greece. In 1932, while still at Cambridge, he decided to try for the Irish Olympic team. He ran the 440-yard hurdles (which is similar to 400 meters) in a record time for Ireland. This helped him get a spot on the team for the Los Angeles Olympics. He also competed in the decathlon at the Olympics, finishing eighth.
Olympic Gold Medal
The 1932 Olympics were very special for Ireland. Just an hour before Bob Tisdall's win, another Irish athlete, Pat O'Callaghan, won his second gold medal in the hammer throw. This meant Ireland won two Olympic gold medals on the same day!
Bob's family was also very athletic. His father was a sprint champion. His mother played hockey for Ireland and was a great golfer. Bob's Olympic victory was like a "fairy tale."
During a tough time called The Depression, Bob had a unique job. He worked as an assistant to a young Indian prince. He traveled around Europe with the prince. But to chase his Olympic dream, Bob left this job. He lived in an old railway car in an orchard. He trained by running around the rows of trees.
In 1932, he wrote to General Eoin O'Duffy, who was in charge of the Irish Olympic team. Bob asked to be considered for the 400-meter hurdles. He even admitted he had never run the event before! General O'Duffy believed in him. Bob got a chance to try out for the team. He qualified by winning the Irish National 440-yard hurdles title.
At the team's training camp, there were no hurdles. So, Bob gathered wood from the beach. He made his own hurdles on a greyhound racing track. But then, a mechanical rabbit used for dog races knocked them all over! Bob found out a local girls' school had hurdles. Since the students were on vacation, he cycled there every day to practice.
At the Olympics in Los Angeles, Bob won his first race. In the semi-finals, he ran 52.8 seconds. This matched the Olympic record! It was only the fifth time he had ever run this race. He thought, "Wow, I'm really getting good at this!"
In the final race, Bob was far ahead. He stumbled at the very last hurdle. But he still won the gold medal! His time was 51.7 seconds. As mentioned, this would have been a world record. But the rules at the time said hitting a hurdle meant the record wouldn't count. Four Olympic hurdles champions were in that one race.
After his big win, Bob was invited to a special dinner. He sat next to famous people like Amelia Earhart (a pilot) and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (an actor).
Because of how widely his hurdle incident was reported, people still sometimes get confused about hurdling rules. But the rule was changed soon after his race. In 2002, statues were put up in Nenagh, Ireland. They honor Bob Tisdall and two other Olympic champions from the area.
Later Life
After his athletic career, Bob Tisdall lived in South Africa. He ran a gym during the day. At night, he turned it into a nightclub! He also grew coffee in Tanzania.
In 1969, he moved to Nambour, Australia, with his wife Peggy. There, he farmed fruit and raised cattle. He said his last race was when he was 80 years old. But he even carried the Olympic torch for the Sydney Olympics when he was 93! At that time, he was the oldest living person to win an individual Olympic medal in track and field.
When he was 96, he fell down some stairs. He broke his shoulder and ribs. He never fully recovered. Bob Tisdall passed away on 27 July 2004, at the age of 97. He was the world's oldest track and field Olympic gold medalist.
Bob did not want a sad funeral. His family and a few friends gathered to remember him.
See also
- Olympic champions in the 400 m hurdles
