Jack Metcalfe
Encyclopedia
John "Jack" Patrick Metcalfe (3 February 1912 – 16 January 1994) was an Australia
n athlete who competed in high jump
, long jump
and javelin
events, though he is best remembered as a triple jump
er.
He was educated at Sydney Boys High School
and competed for Sydney University Athletics Club.
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
.
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. Metcalfe also participated in the high jump competition and finished twelfth.
Metcalfe's bronze was the only medal won by the entire Australia
n team at this Olympic Games
.
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. In the long jump event he finished fifth and in the high jump competition he finished seventh.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n athlete who competed in high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
, long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
and javelin
Javelin throw
The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
events, though he is best remembered as a triple jump
Triple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
er.
He was educated at Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective public secondary school for boys, located in the City of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with 1,180 students, from years 7 to 12...
and competed for Sydney University Athletics Club.
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
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 14 December 1935, Metcalfe set a new world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
in the triple jump, leaping 15.78 metres
World record progression triple jump
The following table shows the World Record Progression in the Men's and Women's triple jump, officially ratified by the IAAF.-Men's World Record Progression:...
.
In 1936, Metcalfe won the bronze medal in the men's triple jump
Triple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
at the Olympic Games
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
held in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The winner Naoto Tajima
Naoto Tajima
was a Japanese athlete who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He won a gold medal in the triple jump , and won a bronze medal in the long jump, behind Jesse Owens and Lutz Long....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
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. Metcalfe also participated in the high jump competition and finished twelfth.
Metcalfe's bronze was the only medal won by the entire Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n team at this Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
At his final international competition - the 1938 British Empire Games
1938 British Empire Games
The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the Commonwealth Games being the modern-day equivalent. Held in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from February 5–12, 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary...
in his home-town of Sydney - Metcalfe defended his triple jump gold medal and also took bronze in the javelin. In the long jump event he finished fifth and in the high jump competition he finished seventh.