Jack Metcalfe

For persons of a similar name, see Jack Metcalf (disambiguation).

Jack Metcalfe
Metcalfe in the 1930s
Personal information
Birth nameJohn Patrick Metcalfe
Born3 February 1912
Bellingen, New South Wales, Australia
Died16 January 1994 (aged 81)
Tura Beach, New South Wales, Australia
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Weight80 kg (176 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)High jump, triple jump, long jump, javelin, decathlon.
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)HJ – 1.99 m (1934)
TJ – 15.78 m (1935)
LJ – 7.42 m (1938)[1][2]
Medal record
Representing  Australia
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1936 Berlin Triple jump
British Empire Games
Gold medal – first place 1934 London Triple jump
Bronze medal – third place 1934 London Long jump
Gold medal – first place 1938 Sydney Triple jump
Bronze medal – third place 1938 Sydney Javelin

John Patrick Metcalfe (3 February 1912 – 16 January 1994) was an Australian athlete who competed in high jump, long jump and javelin events, though he is best remembered as a triple jumper.[1]

He was educated at Sydney Boys High School[3] and competed for Sydney University Athletics Club.[4]

At the 1934 Empire Games, Metcalfe won the triple jump and took a bronze medal in the long jump. In the high jump event he finished fourth. Competing in Sydney on 14 December 1935, Metcalfe set a new world record in the triple jump, leaping 15.78 metres.[5]

In 1936, Metcalfe won the bronze medal in the men's triple jump at the Olympic Games held in Berlin, Germany. The winner Naoto Tajima of Japan broke the Australian's world record during the competition. It was later reported that Metcalfe, who was self-coached, assisted the Japanese athletes during the competition and that German officials had complained about this.[6] Metcalfe also participated in the high jump competition and finished twelfth.

Metcalfe's bronze was the only medal won by the entire Australian team at this Olympic Games.[7] At his final international competition – the 1938 British Empire Games in his home-town of Sydney – Metcalfe defended his triple jump gold medal and also took bronze in the javelin.[8] In the long jump event he finished fifth and in the high jump competition he finished seventh.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jack Metcalfe.
  1. ^ a b c Jack Metcalfe Archived 2012-09-20 at the Wayback Machine. sports-reference.com
  2. ^ Jack Metcalfe. trackfield.brinkster.net
  3. ^ Sydney Boys High – List of Olympic representatives Archived 22 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Sydney University Athletics Club History[dead link]
  5. ^ The Athletics Site – Triple Jump world records
  6. ^ Jack Metcalfe. Sports Australia Hall of Fame biography
  7. ^ Australian Olympic Committee – Berlin 1936. None. Retrieved on 2016-08-21.
  8. ^ John 'Jack' METCALFE (NSW). Athletics Australia profile
Records
Preceded by Men's triple jump world record holder
1935-12-14 – 1936-08-06 		Succeeded by