July 15, 1960 - Harry Jerome - a podcast by Stephen Hammond

Harry Jerome sets world record for 100 metre race in Saskatoon. Henry “Harry” Winston Jerome was born on September 30, 1940 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. When he was 12, his family moved to North Vancouver where, as a black family, they were met with a petition aiming to remove them from the neighbourhood. After moving to a more hospitable neighbourhood, Jerome excelled as a sprinter in school, soon being coached at the University of Oregon by famed coach and Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman. At the age of 19 on July 15, 1960, while in Saskatoon for the Olympic trials, Jerome ran the 100 metres in 10.0 seconds, becoming Canada’s first to hold a world track record. He competed for Canada in the 1960 Olympics, but suffered an injury. That same year, Jerome ran the 100 yards in 9.2 seconds, becoming the first man to share the world 100-yard and 100-metre records. When he suffered a severe muscle injury at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia, he didn’t know if he’d be able to run again. Yet at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, Jerome made a stunning comeback to win a bronze medal for the 100-metre. In addition to competing for Canada in the 1968 Olympics, Jerome won gold at the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica and the 1967 Winnipeg PanAm Games. Jerome retired in 1969 and became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1970. Jerome is honoured with events and buildings named after him and a statue in Vancouver’s Stanley Park. Each year the Harry Jerome Awards are given to black Canadians in business, athletics, academics, the arts and the community. Jerome died on December 7, 1982 at the age of 42 in North Vancouver.

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