Wesley Coe

Who was Wesley Coe?

Wesley William Coe, Jr., sometimes listed as William Wesley Coe, Jr., was an American track and field athlete who competed principally in the shot put and also in the hammer throw, discus throw, and tug of war.

A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Coe competed for the University of Oxford and became the shot put champion of England in 1901 and 1902. He was also the first American athlete to be awarded a "blue." He returned to the United States in 1902 and won the silver medal in the shot put at the 1904 Summer Olympics held in St. Louis, Missouri.

Between 1905 and 1907, Coe set world records in the 8-, 12-, and 16-pound shot put events. As a member of the Michigan Wolverines men's track and field team, he won the 1906 national intercollegiate championship in the shot put and placed second in the discus.

At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, England, he finished fourth in the shot put. In 1920, at age 41, he won the 56-pound weight event at the British Championships.