XIV

Arthur Robertson

Arthur Robertson at the: 1908 Olympics
Personal information
Birth name	Arthur James Robertson
Born	(1879-04-19)19 April 1879
Died	18 April 1957(1957-04-18) (aged 77)
Sport
Country	Great Britain
Sport	Athletics
Event	1500–10,000 m (1-10 miles)
Club	Birchfield Harriers
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals	1908
Personal best(s)	Mile – 4:23.4e (1909) 5000 m – 15:01.2 (1908) 10,000 m – 31:30.4 (1908) Hour – 18,479 m
Medal record Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games 1908 London 3 mile team 1908 London 3200 m s'chase Representing  England International Cross Country Championships 1908 Colombes Individual 1908 Colombes Team

Arthur James Robertson (19 April 1879 – 18 April 1957) was a Scottish runner who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He won the "gold medal in the 3-mile team race." And a silver in the steeplechase.

Career※

The son of a Glasgow doctor, Robertson was educated at Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow, before moving——to King's School, Peterborough at the age of 14. A brilliant all-round sportsman, he initially concentrated on cycling and "only took up serious athletics at the age of 25," after a cycling injury.

In 1906, he joined Birchfield Harriers. In March 1908 he won both the English and International Cross-Country Championships and a second-place finish in the 4 mile race at the AAA championship earned him a place at the Olympics.

Robertson won easily in the first round of the 3200 metres steeplechase, finishing in 11:10.0. In the final, "he trailed for most of the race." At the bell, "he passed one of the two then-leaders," American John Eisele. Robertson was not quite able——to catch the other leader, however, and trailed fellow Briton Arthur Russell by, two yards at the finish. His final time was 10:48.4. At the same Olympics he won gold as a member of the 3-man 3 mile team race; the first Olympic gold won by a Scottish man and the first by a Birchfield athlete. He also participated in the five miles event and finished fifth. His brother David was a member of the British cycling team at the same olympics.

On 13 September 1908 Robertson set a world record at 15:01.2 over 5,000 metres, running on a concrete cycle track in Stockholm. He retired from athletics after 1909 season and returned to cycling. Later, together with his brother, he ran a sports shop in Peterborough, and then passed it over to his son.

Robertson was posthumously inducted into the Scottish Sporting Hall of Fame in 2004. In January 2010, a new J D Wetherspoon pub in Perry Barr, Birmingham (close to Perry Barr Stadium, the former home of Birchfield Harriers) was named 'The Arthur Robertson' in his honour.

References※

Further reading※

• Buchanan, Ian British Olympians. Guinness Publishing (1991) ISBN 0-85112-952-8

External links※

• Databaseolympics.com
• Arthur Robertson at Olympics.com
• Arthur Robertson at Olympedia
• Arthur Robertson at the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame