Glen Dawson (athlete)
Glen Wilson Dawson (August 1, 1906 – January 19, 1968) was an American runner. He represented the United States in the men's 3000-meter steeplechase at the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics, qualifying for the final both times.
Biography
Glen Dawson was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on August 1, 1906.[1] He grew up in Skiatook, Oklahoma, and took up running in grade school.[2] In 1927, his senior year in high school, he set a state high school record in the mile run and won one of the two mile races at the national interscholastic meet in Chicago.[3][4] Subsequently, Dawson attended the Central State Teachers College and from 1929 the University of Oklahoma.[2][5] Dawson competed in the 10,000 meters at the 1928 United States Olympic Trials, but did not qualify for the Olympic team.[6]:66
Coached by John Jacobs, Dawson had a successful collegiate career with the Oklahoma Sooners, winning the Big Six mile championship both indoors and outdoors in 1930 and again in 1931; at the 1931 outdoor meet he also won the two miles.[7][8] He placed third in the mile at the 1931 NCAA championships.[9] In 1932, his last year in college, he took up the 3000 meter steeplechase and attempted to qualify for the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in that event.[2] Dawson lost to Harold Manning at the Midwestern Tryouts in Evanston; before the final Trials he was not favored to make the American team.[10][11] At the final Olympic Trials in Stanford Dawson placed third in 9:18.4e and earned the last spot on the American steeplechase squad; the winner, Joe McCluskey, set a new world best of 9:14.5.[6]:72[12]:109
In Los Angeles, Dawson was drawn in the same heat as McCluskey and eventual Olympic champion Volmari Iso-Hollo. He qualified for the final by placing third in 9:15.0, a time that would remain his lifetime best.[1] The Olympic final turned into a 3460-meter steeplechase due to a lap counter's error; Dawson placed sixth in 10:58.0.[13]
In 1933 Dawson won the national (AAU) indoor championship in the 1000 meters and defeated Glenn Cunningham in an indoor mile race in Tulsa.[14][15] He was seen as a potential challenger to Cunningham as America's leading miler, but in later races Cunningham proved stronger.[15][16] Dawson won the AAU 1000-meter title again in 1935, and placed fourth (behind Cunningham, Gene Venzke and Archie San Romani) in the 1500 meters outdoors that year.[14][17]
In the Olympic year 1936 Dawson again turned to the steeplechase; he placed second behind Manning at the AAU championships, his best result in the national outdoor meet.[18][19] The Olympic Trials were held separately in New York City the following week; Dawson placed third behind Manning and McCluskey in 9:23.2, qualifying for his second consecutive Olympic Games.[6]:81 At the Olympics in Berlin he was fourth in his heat, defeating 1932 silver medalist Tom Evenson in a fight for the last spot in the final; in the final he placed eighth in 9:21.1.[1][20]
Dawson retired from running in 1937 to start a business career.[2] He died in Tulsa on January 19, 1968, after a long illness.[1][5]
References
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- 1906 births
- 1968 deaths
- Sportspeople from Tulsa, Oklahoma
- People from Skiatook, Oklahoma
- American middle-distance runners
- Male middle-distance runners
- American steeplechase runners
- Male steeplechase runners
- American male track and field athletes
- Oklahoma Sooners track and field athletes
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1932 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1936 Summer Olympics
- Olympic track and field athletes of the United States