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Alfred Tysoe

Alfred Edward Tysoe (March 21, 1874 – October 26, 1901) was a British athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1900 Summer Olympics.

Born at Skerton, near Lancaster, Tysoe ran part-time with the Skerton Harriers running team, while still working as a farm labourer.

In 1896 he won the Northern Counties 1000 yd and the one mile titles. His running successes brought him to the attention of Harold Hardwick, founder of Salford Harriers in 1884, and in 1897 Tysoe was persuaded to join the Salford team. Within his first year with Salford Harriers, he had achieved the Amateur Athletics Association championships in one mile and ten miles. In 1898 he helped the team to win their sixth National Cross Country championship.

At the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, Tysoe was a favourite in 800 m, having just two weeks before the games broken the world record by running the 800 yd in 1 minute and 57.8 seconds. He won easily, beating John Cregan from United States at 3 yards. He also won a gold medal as part of the British team in the 5000 metres team race.

This proved to be his last season on the running track, as in early 1901 he became severely ill with pleurisy. Alfred Tysoe tragically died at his home in Blackpool, aged only twenty-seven.

Olympic medalists in athletics (men) | Olympic Champions in Men's 800 m

Teddy Flack | Alfred Tysoe | Jim Lightbody | Paul Pilgrim | Mel Sheppard | Ted Meredith | Albert Hill | Douglas Lowe (twice) | Thomas Hampson | John Woodruff | Mal Whitfield (twice) | Tom Courtney | Peter Snell (twice) | Ralph Doubell | Dave Wottle | Alberto Juantorena | Steve Ovett | Joaquim Cruz | Paul Ereng | William Tanui | Vebjørn Rodal | Nils Schumann | Olympic medalists in athletics (men) | Pre-WWI British Olympic champions in men's athletics

1900: Alfred Tysoe (800m) | 1900 Charles Bennett (1500m) | 1900 John Rimmer (4000m steeplechase) | 1900 team race Charles Bennett, John Rimmer, Sydney Robinson, Alfred Tysoe and 1 Australlian, Stanley Rowley | 1904 Tom Kiely (all around) | 1906 Henry Hawtrey (five miles) | 1906 Emil Voigt (five miles) | 1906 Cornelius Leahy (high jump) | 1906 Peter O'Connor (triple jump) | 1908 Wyndham Halswelle (400m) | 1908 Arthur Russell (3200m steeplechase) | 1908 George Larner (3500m walk & ten miles walk) | 1908 Tim Ahearne (triple jump) | 1912 Arnold Jackson (1500m) | 1912 David Jacobs, Henry Macintosh, Victor d'Arcy & William Applegarth (4x100m relay)