John Whetton facts for kids
Whetton at the 1964 Olympics
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 6 September 1941 (age 84) Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England |
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| Height | 1.79 m | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 68 kg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 1500 m | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Sutton-in-Ashfield Harriers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 1500 m – 3:39.45 (1969) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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John Whetton (born 6 September 1941) is a famous British middle-distance runner. He was known for his amazing speed in races. John won a gold medal in the 1500 metres at the 1969 European Athletics Championships. He also made it to the 1500 metre final in two Olympic Games: 1964 and 1968.
Contents
John Whetton's Early Career
John Whetton started his running journey with a local club. It was called the Sutton-in-Ashfield Harriers. One of his first big wins was in 1963. He won a gold medal in the 1500 metres at the 1963 Summer Universiade. This event took place in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Competing at the 1964 Olympics
In 1964, John Whetton got to represent Great Britain. He went to the 1964 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. He was one of three British runners in the 1500 metres race. The other two were William McKim and his club-mate Alan Simpson.
John did very well in the first race, finishing third. He and Alan both made it to the semi-finals. Then, they both qualified for the final race. John got the last spot because he was the fastest runner who didn't automatically qualify. In the final, John finished eighth.
European Indoor Success
John Whetton had great success indoors. In 1966, he took part in the 1966 European Indoor Games. He won his first major gold medal there. He finished almost three seconds ahead of the second-place runner.
Winning Three Years in a Row
John was so good that he kept winning this title. He won the European Indoor title for the next two years. He won in Prague in 1967. Then, he won again in Madrid in 1968. This showed how consistent and strong he was.
British Champion and More Olympics
In 1968, John Whetton became the British 1 mile champion. He won the British AAA Championships title that year. This was a big achievement in his home country.
Racing at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics
John again represented Great Britain in the 1968 Summer Olympics. These Games were held in Mexico City. The high altitude there made running very challenging. John still managed to qualify for the final race. He finished fifth in the final.
Final Major Gold Medal
John Whetton's last big medal came in 1969. He competed in the 1969 European Athletics Championships. He won the 1500 metres race in Athens, Greece. It was a very close race. John beat Francis Murphy from Ireland to win the gold.
Representing England
In 1970, John Whetton represented England. He ran in the 1,500 metres race. This was at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland.
See also
In Spanish: John Whetton para niños
