Reggie Walker (sprinter) facts for kids
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's athletics | ||
Representing  South Africa |
||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1908 London | 100 metres |
Reginald Edgar Walker (born 16 March 1889 in Durban, died 5 November 1951) was a famous South African athlete. He became an Olympic champion in the 100 metres race at the 1908 Games.
Contents
Reginald Walker's Early Life and Olympic Dream
Reginald Walker was born in the Colony of Natal, which is now part of South Africa. By 1907, he was already the South African Champion in running. However, he was not considered one of the top athletes expected to win the 100 metres at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Getting to the Olympics in London was a challenge for Walker. He didn't have enough money for the trip. Luckily, a sportswriter from Natal helped by collecting funds to support his travel. Once in England, he received coaching from Sam Mussabini, a well-known coach.
Walker's Olympic Victory
Many of the famous runners did not make it to the final race, but Walker did. In his first race, he won easily, finishing in 11.0 seconds. In the next round, he just barely beat William W. May from the United States. Walker also matched the Olympic record of 10.8 seconds in this race. This win meant he qualified for the final.
In the final, Walker competed against three runners from North America. One of them was James Rector from the United States. Rector had also matched the Olympic record in his earlier races. But Walker was faster in the final! He beat Rector by about a foot and a half. He also equaled the Olympic record again, finishing in 10.8 seconds.
At 19 years and 128 days old, Reginald Walker was the youngest person ever to win the Olympic 100 metres race. This record still stands as of 2021[update].
Life After the Olympics
During World War I, Reginald Walker served in the army. He was with the 7th Infantry in German South West Africa (now Namibia). Later, in 1917, he joined the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force. He served in France, where he was injured by a gunshot wound to the head.
Walker left the army in 1919. After that, he worked as a clerk for a company called Ropes & Mattings in Nairobi, Kenya Colony. Eventually, he returned to live in South Africa.
See also
In Spanish: Reggie Walker para niños
