Norman Pritchard facts for kids

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Norman Pritchard

Norman Pritchard, c. 1900
Personal information
Full name	Norman Gilbert Pritchard
Nationality	British
Born	(1875-06-23)23 June 1875 Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died	30 October 1929(1929-10-30) (aged 54) Los Angeles, United States
Education	St. Xavier's College, Calcutta
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	200 metre hurdles 200 metres
Medal record Men's athletics Representing India Olympic Games Silver 1900 Paris 200 metres hurdles Silver 1900 Paris 200 metres

Norman Trevor (right) with Earle Foxe and Florence Reed in the 1921 film The Black Panther's Cub.

Norman Gilbert Pritchard (born June 23, 1875 – died October 30, 1929) was a British-Indian athlete and actor. He was also known by his stage name, Norman Trevor. He made history by becoming the first athlete born in Asia to win an Olympic medal. He won two silver medals in athletics at the 1900 Paris Olympics, representing India. These medals were for the 200 metres race and the 200 metres hurdles.

Early Life and Sports Career

Norman Pritchard was born in Calcutta, which was part of British India at the time. His parents were George Petersen Pritchard and Helen Maynard Pritchard. He attended St. Xavier's College, Calcutta.

Olympic Achievements

Norman Pritchard was the first athlete from India to compete in the Olympic Games. He was also the first to win an Olympic medal for an Asian nation. At the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, he won two silver medals. He finished second in the 200 metres race, just behind Walter Tewksbury from the United States. He also took second place in the 200 metres hurdles, behind the famous Alvin Kraenzlein, also from the United States.

Pritchard also competed in other races at the 1900 Olympics. He reached the final of the 110 metres hurdles but did not finish the race. He also ran in the 60 metres and 100 metres sprints, but he did not make it to the finals for those events.

Representing India or Great Britain?

For a while, there was some discussion about which country Norman Pritchard represented. In 2005, the IAAF (the world governing body for athletics) listed him as competing for Great Britain in 1900. This was because he had competed in a British championship before the Olympics.

However, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) still considers Pritchard to have competed for India. Because of this, his two silver medals are officially counted for India.

Local Sports Success

Before his Olympic fame, Pritchard was a very successful athlete in India. He won the 100 yards sprint title for the Bengal province for seven years in a row, from 1894 to 1900. He even set a new record in 1898–99. He also won the 440 yards (quarter-mile) run and the 120 yards hurdles.

Pritchard was also involved in football. He is known for scoring the first "hat-trick" (three goals in one game) in an open football tournament in India. This happened in July 1897 when he played for Saint Xavier's against Sovabazar. He later served as the Secretary of the Indian Football Association from 1900 to 1902.

Life as an Actor

In 1905, Norman Pritchard moved to Britain permanently. Later, he moved to the United States to start a new career in acting. He became the first Olympian to act in Hollywood movies. He appeared in silent films under his stage name, Norman Trevor.

Later Life and Passing

Norman Pritchard passed away in Los Angeles on October 30, 1929. He died from a brain illness.

Selected Films

Here are some of the films Norman Trevor appeared in:

See also

• India at the Summer Olympics