Percy Hobson (high jumper) facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Percy Francis Hobson | |||||||||||||
| Nationality | Australian | |||||||||||||
| Born | 5 November 1942 Bourke, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Died | 4 January 2022 (aged 79) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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| Sport | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||
| Event(s) | High jump | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Percy Francis Hobson (born 5 November 1942 – died 4 January 2022) was an amazing Australian high jumper. He made history by winning the gold medal in the men's high jump event at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth. This made him the very first Indigenous Australian to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games!
Percy Hobson's Early Life
Percy Hobson was born on 5 November 1942 in a town called Bourke, in New South Wales, Australia. His mother, Fanny Williams, was the daughter of Frank Williams, a respected NSW Police Aboriginal tracker and a Ngemba man.
Percy was one of ten children in his family. He was named after his father, Percy, and his grandfather and uncle, Francis. His uncle had sadly passed away while serving in Malaya around the time Percy was born. His mother, Fanny, came from Brewarrina. When Percy was growing up, he practiced high jumping using a special setup he made himself.
Becoming a High Jump Champion
Percy Hobson started showing his amazing talent in high jump very early. In November 1961, he broke the New South Wales record for high jump, leaping an incredible 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m).
Just a few months later, in March 1962, Percy won the high jump event at the Australian Athletics Championships. He jumped 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), beating another great athlete, Tony Sneazwell.
His biggest moment came eight months later at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth. Percy was only 20 years old. He won the gold medal in the high jump by clearing the bar at an astonishing 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m). This jump also set a new Commonwealth Games record!
By winning this gold medal, Percy became the first Indigenous Australian to achieve this incredible feat for Australia at the Commonwealth Games. When he returned to his hometown of Bourke, he received a hero's welcome. The local brass band even played "Hail, the Conquering Hero" for him!
Percy Hobson's Legacy
Percy Hobson passed away on 4 January 2022, at the age of 79, in Mooroolbark, Melbourne, Victoria.
To honor his achievements, a local park in Bourke was renamed Percy Hobson Park. There is also a small display about Percy at The Back 'O Bourke Exhibition Centre.
Before July 2020, a project began to paint a mural of Percy on the town's water tower. His sisters, Freda Harvey and Heather Mieni, supported this idea. The mural started in April 2021. It shows a famous picture of the moment Percy won his first gold medal, celebrating his amazing success.
