John Bryant (journalist) facts for kids

John William Bryant (born April 25, 1944 – died April 30, 2020) was a British journalist. He was very interested in marathon running. John Bryant was the editor of The Daily Telegraph from 2005 to 2007. He also worked as an editor for other big newspapers. He helped start the famous London Marathon with Chris Brasher.

Early Life and Education

John Bryant was born on April 25, 1944. He grew up in a village called Haselbury Plucknett in Somerset, England. He went to Sexey's School in Bruton.

Later, he studied law at Queen's College, Oxford. While at Oxford, he was an Oxford Blue. This means he was a top athlete for the university. People who knew John Bryant said he was a quiet person. He lived in Kingston upon Thames.

Running and Sports Career

John Bryant was a champion runner in his local area. He later became a coach for other athletes. He even coached Olympic athlete Zola Budd. He went with her to the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

In the 1950s, he worked closely with runners who were trying to achieve the four-minute mile. He became friends with Roger Bannister, who was the first to do it.

John Bryant also became good friends with athlete Chris Brasher. Together, they played a big part in creating the modern-day London Marathon. He ran his 24th marathon in April 2016. By the end of his life, he had run in 29 London Marathons.

He was also the captain of the Thames Hare and Hounds club for a long time. This is the oldest cross-country running club in the world.

Journalism Career Highlights

John Bryant started his journalism career at the Edinburgh Evening News. In the 1980s, he worked as an executive editor for the Daily Mail. He also held other important roles there.

In 1986, he joined The Times newspaper. He was a managing editor and wrote a regular sports column. He later became the deputy editor. He also edited The Sunday Correspondent and The European.

On November 18, 2005, John Bryant became the editor of The Daily Telegraph. He helped the newspaper move to new offices in Victoria, London. He left The Daily Telegraph in late 2006. He said he had a "great time" working with the paper's journalists.

After leaving The Daily Telegraph, John Bryant wrote several books and articles. Many of these were about sports and marathons. He wrote a piece for The Guardian about Roger Bannister's four-minute mile. In 2008, he became the chairman of the Press Association Trust.

Death

John Bryant passed away on April 30, 2020. He was 76 years old. He died at his home in Surrey after being ill for a long time. He was survived by his wife, two sons, and six grandchildren.