Arthur Wint

Arthur Wint, or the Gentle Giant as he was known, came to prominence in 1937 when he was selected as the Jamaica Boy Athlete of the Year. The following year he won a gold medal in the 800 metres at the Central American Games, but then his athletics career was interrupted by World War II. In 1942 Wint joined the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and was sent to train in Canada, where he set a Canadian 400 metre record. After completing his training he was sent to Britain for active combat during the World War II as a pilot. He left the Royal Air Force in 1947 to attend St. Bartholomew's Hospital as a medical student. Wint returned to the international athletics scene in 1948, when Jamaica competed at the Olympics for the first time as an independent nation. At the Olympics Wint won Jamaica’s first Olympic gold in the 400 m, beating teammate [Herb McKenley]. In the 800 m he won silver and missed his third medal when he pulled a muscle in the 4x400 final. Four years later, in Helsinki, Wint was part of the team that set a world record in the 4x400 relay (3:03.9) while capturing the gold medal. He also repeated as silver medalist in the 800 metres. Wint won the British AAA titles over 440 yds in 1946 and 1952 and in the 880 in 1946 and 1950-51. Wint ran his final race in 1953, finished his internship, graduated as a doctor and the following year was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. In 1955 Wint returned to Jamaica, eventually settling in Hanover as the only resident doctor in the parish. Later he served as Jamaica's High Commissioner to Britain and, from 1974-78, as ambassador to Sweden and Denmark. Wint was inducted in the Black Athlete’s Hall of Fame in the US in 1977, the Jamaica Sports Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Central American and Caribbean Athletic Confederation Hall of Fame in 2003.

Personal Bests: 400 – 46.2 (1948); 800 – 1:48.9y (1951).