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| Olympic medalist | ||
 Walter Tewksbury |
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| Medal record | ||
| Men's Athletics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Gold | 1900 Paris | 200 metres |
| Gold | 1900 Paris | 400 metre hurdles |
| Silver | 1900 Paris | 60 metres |
| Silver | 1900 Paris | 100 metres |
| Bronze | 1900 Paris | 200 metre hurdles |
John Walter Beardsley Tewksbury (March 21, 1876-April 25, 1968) was an American track and field athlete. At the 1900 Summer Olympics, he won five medals, including two golds. Born in Ashley, Pennsylvania, Tewksbury studied for a dental degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Running for the university team, he won the IC4A titles in the 110 and 220 y in 1898 and 1899.
After graduating, he headed for Paris to compete in the Olympic Games. Tewksbury entered in 5 events, but had strong competition, among others from fellow Penn student Alvin Kraenzlein. In the 100 m, Tewksbury equalled the world record in the semi-finals, but placed second in the final to Frank Jarvis. The following day, he took another second place, behind Kraenzlein, in the 60 m, before entering the 400 m hurdles.
At the time, this event had probably never been contested in the United States, but Tewksbury easily beat the local favourite for the 400 m hurdles title. The event was quite different from present day, as the hurdles were actually telephone poles laid over the track, and the final hurdles was a water barrier (like in the steeplechase). In the final of the 200 m hurdles, he placed third (with Kraenzlein the winner). The final of the 200 m was held a week later; in that race Tewksbury won his second individual Olympic gold, finishing immediately ahead of Norman Pritchard of India.
He retired from sports to open a dental practice in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania. He died there in 1968, at age 92.
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