Ted Meredith

Ted Meredith

Ted Meredith at the 1912 Olympics
Personal information
Born November 14, 1891
Chester Heights, Pennsylvania, United States
Died November 2, 1957 (aged 65)
Camden, New Jersey, United States
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight 71 kg (157 lb)
Sport
Sport Sprint running
Club NYAC, New York

James Edwin "Ted" Meredith (November 14, 1891 November 2, 1957) was an American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1912 Summer Olympics.

Meredith made the 1912 Olympic team shortly after his graduation from Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades in 1911, In Stockholm, he won a gold medal in the 800 m run with a world record 1:51.9. He ran on to the 880 yd (800 m) mark and also set a world record for that distance, with a 1:52.5. He won another gold medal on the 4 × 400 m relay team, also taking fourth in the 400 metres competition.

Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades now has the largest repository of Olympic great James “Ted” Meredith memorabilia in existence thanks to Jack Lemon, author of the book “Immortal of the Cinder Path, The Saga of James ‘Ted’ Meredith,” who donated his entire collection of Meredith memorabilia recently.

After Stockholm, Meredith entered the University of Pennsylvania. He was the IC4A 440 yd (400 m) champion from 1914 to 1916 and the 880 yd (800 m) champion in 1914 and 1915. He also won the AAU 440 yd (400 m) title in 1914 and 1915. In 1916, he set a world record in the 440 yd (400 m) of 47.4, which wasn't broken until 1928. At the same year he lowered his own world 880 yd (800 m) record to 1:52.2.

Meredith retired from competition in 1917 and served in the army during World War I. He made a comeback for the 1920 Summer Olympics, where he was eliminated in the semifinal of the 400 metres competition and ran on the relay team that finished fourth in the 4 × 400 m relay event.

After the second retiring from competition, he became a real estate broker.


Records
Preceded by
Incumbent
Men's 800 metres World Record Holder
July 8, 1912 July 3, 1926
Succeeded by
Germany Otto Peltzer
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