John Russell (equestrian) facts for kids
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| Full name | John William Russell | |||||||||||||
| Born | February 2, 1920 Dauphin, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Died | September 30, 2020 (aged 100) San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
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Colonel John William Russell (February 2, 1920 – September 30, 2020) was an American equestrian. He was a skilled horse rider and won a bronze medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.
After serving in the United States Army during World War II, he started competing in horse riding events. He joined the United States team for the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. After his success in 1952, he continued to compete around the world. However, his military duties and an injury to his horse meant he missed the 1956 Summer Olympics.
He stopped competing that year. John Russell then became the head of the United States Modern Pentathlon Training Center. Here, he coached many Olympic teams and helped organize major championships. Later, he opened his own riding center. In 2001, he was honored by being added to the United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
John Russell was born in Dauphin, Pennsylvania. In 1943, he joined the United States Army. He served during World War II in Africa, Germany, and Italy. While fighting in Cassino, Italy, he was wounded. For his bravery, he received the Purple Heart medal.
By the end of the war, he was a lieutenant colonel. He also earned other awards, like the Soldier's Medal. In 1946, he began coaching and riding horses in Northern Italy. He was the first American to win the equestrian Prize of Nations in 1947.
Olympic and Competitive Career
In 1948, Russell was sent to Fort Riley in Kansas. He worked there as a riding instructor. He also became part of the United States national equestrian team. While writing a new army horsemanship guide, he still found time to compete.
He placed second in the 1948 Olympic trials. This made him a member of the last American Olympic horse riding team chosen from the U.S. Army. At the 1948 Summer Olympics, he finished 21st in the individual jumping event. He rode his horse, Air Mail, in both individual and team competitions.
Even after his military team stopped competing, Russell kept winning international events. This was before the 1952 Summer Olympics. The 1952 team was the first U.S. Olympic equestrian team to include civilian riders.
John William Wofford, a former Olympian, encouraged Russell to try out for the 1952 team. Russell finished first in the trials, riding a horse named Democrat. At the 1952 Summer Olympics, Russell, along with William Steinkraus and Arthur McCashin, won the bronze medal. This was in the team jumping event. He also placed 24th in the individual jumping competition.
From 1953 to 1955, he was stationed in Germany. He continued to compete internationally there. He trained for the 1956 Summer Olympics. However, his army duties and a broken hoof bone in his horse stopped him from going. He retired from competing soon after.
Later Life and Achievements
In 1956, John Russell returned to the United States. He was put in charge of the United States Modern Pentathlon Training Center. This center was located at Fort Sam Houston. For many years, he coached six U.S. Olympic modern pentathlon teams. He also coached twenty-two World Championship teams. He helped organize the 1959 and 1977 World Modern Pentathlon Championships.
After retiring, he ran the Russell Equestrian Center. He also worked as a judge at national horse shows. In 2000, he received the Pegasus Medal of Honor. This award came from the American Horse Shows Association. In 2001, he was inducted into the United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame.
He also received the Gold Medal of Honor from the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne. In February 2012, he was added to the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame. John Russell turned 100 years old in February 2020. He passed away in September of that year.
See also
In Spanish: John Russell (jinete) para niños
