Page 46 - Summer2016Gazette

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Jack Broughton 1921-2016

After the race he changed and His first trophy was as Juvenile
then caught the bus home Champion in 1935. When the
for tea with his wife who club closed down he joined
had not gone to watch him Grimsby Harriers for whom
at Wembley as she was not he won the Eastern Counties
particularly interested, but Junior Cross Country title in
asked if he had enjoyed it. 1939.
His mother even refused an He did some competition
offer from a local newspaper during his army service in
in Grimsby to take her down World War Two as a warrant
to London. His games were Officer in India but hadn’t
over. done any serious running for
Despite this Jack remains some time when encouraged
philosophical about his by Jacob his bearer he took
performance. “I did not get it up again. After the war he
“If I die tomorrow I have much out of it. I was just not went down to the Tooting
had a good time. That’s fit enough. I ran much slower track in South London.
than I did normally”. As he Having met some Blackheath
what life is all about. Not latter commented “We didn’t Harriers including Charles
to have won but taken really prepare ourselves for Wiand, he was persuaded
the Olympics. We were beaten
to join the club in 1947. He
part”. by the teams who didn’t go to then met Sydney Wooderson
war”. who was nearing the end
As the story goes on July 31st Nor was he ostracised by of his athletic career. After
1948 Jack Braughton took his club. The Gazette for training against him at the
the morning off work and September 1948 adjudged that Ladywell track at Catford he
caught a No 12 Bus from the fact that even if “he did was noticed by Jack Crump
Peckham Rye and then a tube not come through his heat the British team manager who
to Wembley. He was going to reflects no discredit: he ran ranked him fifth best on merit
race in heat one of the 5000 very well but like the other in Britain. He then competed
metres for Great Britain at the English runners found himself against Wooderson in the 1948
Olympic Games. Although unable to sustain a pace such National XC championships
this would be the greatest as he had never encountered. finishing 28th in a race which
track event he would take part Let him rest assured that the Wooderson won as his swan
in, all he can remember was club thinks very highly of song on the competitive stage.
“I just went in to register and him.” But of course Jack will be
did my race and went. It was The long journey to his 14 best remembered for the
just another athletics meeting minutes of fame commenced 5,000 metre heat at the 1948
to me”. He came eighth in as a junior for Cleethorpes Olympics in which he had
his heat and ran the 3 miles Harriers in the 1930s. He difficulties obtaining leave
in under 14 minutes, but chose running over a possible from work in which to
failed to qualify for the final. career with Grimsby Town FC compete.