Wyndham Halswelle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wyndham Halswelle
Halswelle in 1908
Born	(1882-05-30)30 May 1882 London, England
Died	31 March 1915(1915-03-31) (aged 32) Artois, France
Burial place	Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, Laventie
Education	Charterhouse School
Alma mater	Royal Military College, Sandhurst
Occupation	Athlete
Parent(s)	Keeley Halswelle (father)
Wyndham Halswelle Medal record Men's athletics Representing  United Kingdom Intercalated Games Silver 1906 Athens 400 metres Bronze 1906 Athens 800 metres Olympic Games Gold 1908 London 400 metres

Wyndham Halswelle (born May 30, 1882 – died March 31, 1915) was a famous British athlete. He is known for winning a very unusual 400-meter race at the 1908 Summer Olympics. He became the only athlete in Olympic history to win a gold medal by himself, in what is called a "walkover."

Wyndham was also a brave army officer. He served in the Second Boer War and later in World War I. Sadly, he was killed in action during a battle in 1915.

Wyndham's Early Life and Military Career

Wyndham Halswelle was born in London. His father was an artist named Keeley Halswelle. Even though he was born in London, many people thought of him as Scottish. This was because his mother's father, General Nathaniel J. Gordon, was Scottish.

Wyndham showed great athletic talent from a young age. He was a star athlete at Charterhouse School. He also excelled at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. After his training, he joined the army as a second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry in 1901.

Serving in South Africa

In 1902, Wyndham served in South Africa during the Second Boer War. There, his athletic skills were noticed by Jimmy Curran. Curran was a coach and an athlete himself. He encouraged Wyndham to take athletics seriously.

Wyndham returned to his army unit in 1903. His battalion then moved from South Africa to Egypt. Later, in 1904, his regiment came back to Edinburgh, Scotland. This is when Curran convinced Wyndham to focus on his running.

Becoming a Champion Athlete

Wyndham quickly became a top athlete. In 1904, he was the army champion for the 880 yards race. The next year, 1905, he won the Scottish and AAA 440 yards titles.

Success at the Intercalated Games

In 1906, he competed in the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens. These games were like a special Olympics held between the main ones. Wyndham won a silver medal in the 400 meters. He also earned a bronze medal in the 800 meters.

Setting New Records

When he returned, he achieved an amazing feat in 1906. At the Scottish championships in Powderhall, he won four races in one afternoon! He won the 100, 220, 440, and 880 yards races. No one has done this since.

A leg injury stopped him from competing much in 1907. But he came back strong in 1908. He set a world record for 300 yards, finishing in 31.2 seconds. He also set a British record for 440 yards with a time of 48.4 seconds. This record lasted for over 25 years! He also set a Scottish 300 yards record that stood until 1961.

The Controversial 1908 Olympics

The 1908 Summer Olympics were held in London. Wyndham Halswelle was a favorite in the 400-meter race. He reached the final with the fastest qualifying time. This time was an Olympic record of 48.4 seconds.

The Disputed Race

Back then, the 400-meter race was not run in separate lanes. In the final, Wyndham was trying to pass another runner, John Carpenter from the USA. Carpenter moved wide, pushing Wyndham close to the edge of the track. He also used his elbow to stop Wyndham from getting past him.

British officials saw this as blocking, which was against the rules. The rules for the 1908 Olympics were based on British athletics rules. An umpire immediately said the race was unfair and should be run again.

A Unique Olympic Win

Carpenter was disqualified for blocking. The officials decided the race would be rerun two days later. This time, it would be run in separate lanes. However, the other two American runners in the final refused to race again.

So, Wyndham Halswelle had to run the final by himself. He ran the 400 meters alone and won the gold medal with a time of 50.2 seconds. This was the only time in Olympic history that a final was won by a "walkover." A walkover means winning because no one else competes.

Changes After the Controversy

Because of this controversy, big changes were made. From the next Olympics in 1912 onwards, all 400-meter races were run in separate lanes. Also, the International Amateur Athletic Federation was created. This group made sure that athletics rules were the same all over the world.

The whole event made Wyndham feel disappointed about athletics. His senior army officers also felt he was being used too much. So, Wyndham decided to retire from running after a final appearance in 1908.

Wyndham's Death in World War I

Wyndham Halswelle, who was now a Captain, was killed during World War I. He died on March 31, 1915, at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in France. He was 32 years old. He was shot by a sniper while trying to help an injured fellow officer.

Earlier in the same battle, on March 12, he had been hit by shrapnel. Shrapnel are small pieces of metal from an exploding shell. Even with his wounds, he refused to leave the front lines. He kept fighting, even though he was heavily bandaged.

A Soldier's Words

Just days before he died, Wyndham wrote about the battle. His words were later published in his regiment's magazine. He described a difficult fight where many of his soldiers died to gain only a short distance. He wrote about the struggle of getting out of a trench while carrying heavy gear.

His grave was first marked with a simple wooden cross. Later, his remains were moved to the Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard in Laventie, France.

Legacy and Recognition

In 2003, Wyndham Halswelle was honored. He was added to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame. His Olympic medals and other awards are now displayed there.

His old army regiment, now called the Royal Highland Fusiliers, keeps his memory alive. They award the Wyndham Halswelle Memorial Trophy. This trophy goes to the winner of the 400-meter race at the Scottish under-20 championships.

See also

• List of Olympians killed in World War I