Jack Holden

Holden on the January 1951 cover of World Sports Magazine
Personal information
Born	13 March 1907 Bilston, West Midlands, England
Died	7 March 2004 (aged 96) Cockermouth, Cumbria, England
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event	3 miles – marathon
Club	Tipton Harriers
Achievements and titles
Personal best	Marathon – 2:31:03.4 (1950)[1][2]
Medal record Representing  Great Britain European Athletics Championships 1950 Brussels Marathon Representing  England Commonwealth Games 1950 Auckland Marathon International Cross Country Championships 1929 Vincennes Team (18 ind) 1930 Leamington Team (7 ind) 1931 Dublin Team (6 ind) 1932 Brussels Individual 1932 Brussels Team 1933 Caerlon Individual 1933 Caerlon Team 1934 Ayr Individual 1934 Ayr Team 1935 Paris Individual 1935 Paris Team 1936 Blackpool Individual 1936 Blackpool Team 1938 Belfast Team (6 ind) 1939 Cardiff Individual 1939 Cardiff Team 1946 Ayr Team (6 ind)

John Thomas Holden (13 March 1907 – 7 March 2004) was a long-distance runner from England, who won four consecutive national titles in the marathon (1947–1950).

Athletics career

He represented Great Britain at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, but abandoned the race due to foot blisters. He won the 1950 Empire Games marathon in Auckland, running the last nine miles barefoot after his shoes fell apart during the race.^[3]

He competed for England in the 3 and 6 miles at the 1934 British Empire Games in London. He competed for England at the 1938 British Empire Games in the 6 miles and marathon.

He was also a successful cross country runner, becoming the first man to win the International Cross Country Championships four times, which he did between 1933 and 1939.^[4]

Personal life

During World War II Holden served with the Royal Air Force. In the 1950s, Coseley Urban District Council named a new road on the Woodcross housing estate Jack Holden Avenue in honour of this local sporting legend. On 23 July 1952, Jack Holden's Gardens were opened on Queens Road, Tipton.^[5]

Holden died in March 2004, six days before his 97th birthday. He was survived by daughter Joan and son-in-law Brian.^[3]