Arthur Russell (athlete)
Encyclopedia
Arthur Russell was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 athlete and winner of the 3,200 metres steeplechase at the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...

.

Russell, from Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...

, won the British AAA Championships in steeplechase from 1904 to 1906. He won his first AAA title while only 17 years old.

At the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 Olympics
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...

, Russell competed in the 3,200 metres steeplechase. In the first round, he was one of only two athletes in his heat to finish, easily defeating the other runner. Russell made the pace in the final for the first mile. Afterwards Russell and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 John Eisele
John Eisele
John Eisele was an American athlete. He won the silver medal in the 3 mile team race and bronze medal in the 3,200 metres steeplechase at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London....

 fought for the lead until the bell, when Briton Archie Robertson passed Eisele and was only beaten by two yards by Russell, with Eisele 25 yards (22.9 m) behind.
Russell was a Walsall brick worker who ran for Walsall Harriers. His gold medal is extremely rare as it is made of solid gold and this was the only time that the 3200 yard event was held.
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