Jim Bailey (athlete)
Personal information | |
---|---|
Nationality | Australian |
Born | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | 21 July 1929
Died | 31 March 2020 Bellingham, Washington, U.S. | (aged 90)
Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)[1] |
Weight | 69 kg (152 lb) |
Sport | |
Sport | Middle-distance running |
Event(s) | 800 m, 1500 m, mile |
Club | Oregon Ducks, Eugene |
Coached by | Bill Bowerman |
Achievements and titles | |
Personal best(s) | 800 m – 1:48.8 (1956) 1500 m – 3:43.3 (1956) Mile – 3:58.6 (1956)[1][2] |
James John Bailey (21 July 1929 – 31 March 2020) was an Australian middle-distance runner. He reached semifinals of the 800 metres event at the 1956 Summer Olympics.[1] While running for the University of Oregon under Bill Bowerman, he was the 1955 NCAA Champion in the mile. He would become the first of a string of sub-4 minute milers under Bowerman.[3]
Biography
Bailey was born in Sydney and grew up in the central-west NSW town of Parkes, New South Wales where his father was a health and buildings inspector with Parkes Municipal Council. After a decade in the country, the family moved to Hurstville, New South Wales which allowed Bailey to pursue his running by joining the local St George Athletics Club.[4]
On 6 May 1956, Bailey was part of a mile race at the
Bailey was ranked #3 miler in the world in 1956.[6] After retiring from competitions he played professional rugby in Australia. He then returned to the United States and lived in the Pacific Northwest for the rest of his life, working as a sportswear promoter in Kirkland, Washington, and then a real estate agent in Bellingham, Washington.[1]
He died on 31 March 2020 in Bellingham, Washington.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jim Bailey Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ^ James Bailey. trackfield.brinkster.net
- ^ Foley, Damian (13 May 2016). "Surviving Bowerman sub-4 milers returning to the UO". University of Oregon. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
- ^ a b Tarbotton, David (7 April 2020). "Vale: Jim Bailey – 1956 Olympian". NSW Athletics website. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ Saplin, Stan (1985). "WHEN A 3:58.6 MILE ADDED TO THE OLYMPIC FUND". New York Times. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
- ^ "Men's World 1500/Mile Rankings By Athlete". trackandfieldnews.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
External links
Media related to Jim Bailey (athlete) at Wikimedia Commons
- Jim Bailey at World Athletics
- Jim Bailey at Australian Athletics Historical Results
- Jim Bailey at Olympics.com
- Jim Bailey at Olympedia
- Jim Bailey at the Australian Olympic Committee
- Jim Bailey at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- Jim Bailey at Commonwealth Games Australia
- Jim Bailey at Commonwealth Games Australia
- University of Oregon Video of the Coliseum race on YouTube