Harold A. Wilson

Who was Harold A. Wilson?

Harold Allan Wilson was an English athlete. Born in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England, he won the silver medal in the men's 1500 metres race at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, competing on the Great Britain and Ireland team. He was a member of the Hallamshire Harriers and the Irish American Athletic Club.

He was the first man to run a sub four minute 1,500 metres, with a time of 3:59.8 in May 1908.

In the 1908 Olympic Games Wilson won his semi-final in the 1500 metres with a time of 4:11.4; his time in the final was 4:03.6, fractions of a second behind America's premier runner of the day, Melvin Sheppard of the Irish American Athletic Club, with a time of 4:03.4. "Wilson won a trial heat in fast time, but in the final had to bow to the superior speed of America's premier runner, Melvin Sheppard, and in this event forced him to break the record for the distance to win."

Wilson was also part of Britain's five-man gold medal-winning team in the three-miles team race. He was Britain's fourth man home in fifth place overall. His team-mates were Archie Robertson, Norman Hallows, Joe Deakin and William Coales.