John Thornton (athlete)
British hurdler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John St. Ledger Thornton (6 June 1911 – 18 August 1944) was a British hurdler who competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics.[1] He was killed in action during World War II.[2]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British |
| Born | 6 June 1911 Greasley, England |
| Died | 18 August 1944 (aged 33) Normandy, German-occupied France |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track and field |
Event | 110 metres hurdles |
| Club | University of Cambridge AC Achilles Club |
Biography
Thornton was educated at Charterhouse School and Pembroke College, Cambridge.[3]
Thornton finished second behind Don Finlay in the 120 yards hurdles event at the 1936 AAA Championships.[4][5][6]
One month later, he was selected to represent Great Britain at the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, where he competed in the men's 110 metres hurdles competition.[7]
Thornton finished second behind Don Finlay again in the 120 yards event at the 1937 AAA Championships[8][9] and the 1938 AAA Championships.[10][11]
Thornton served as a major in the Seaforth Highlanders during the Second World War.[12] He served at El Alamein and in the Sicily Campaign, and was killed in action on 18 August 1944 during the Battle of Normandy.[1] Thornton is buried at Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery.[12]
