Norman Pritchard

Norman Gilbert Pritchard (23 June 1875 – 30 October 1929), also known by his stage name Norman Trevor, was a British-Indian athlete and actor who became the first Asian-born athlete to win an Olympic medal when he won two silver medals in athletics at the 1900 Paris Olympics representing India. He was of British ethnicity and moved to Great Britain permanently in 1905, where he became a successful stage actor, and later moved to the United States to work in Hollywood.[1][2]

For the American poet, see Norman Pritchard (poet).

Norman Pritchard
Personal information
Full nameNorman Gilbert Pritchard
NationalityBritish
Born(1875-06-23)23 June 1875
Calcutta, British India
Died30 October 1929(1929-10-30) (aged 54)
Los Angeles, United States
EducationSaint Xavier's College
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)200 metre hurdles
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing India
Olympic Games
1900 Paris200 metres hurdles
1900 Paris200 metres
Trevor at right with Earle Foxe and Florence Reed in The Black Panther's Cub (1921).

Biography

Norman Pritchard was born in Calcutta to George Petersen Pritchard and Helen Maynard Pritchard.[1]

Norman Pritchard was the first Indian athlete to participate in the Olympic Games and was also the first to win an Olympic medal and also represent an Asian nation.[3] He won two silver medals at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, coming second in the 200 metres behind Walter Tewksbury of the United States and second in the 200 metres hurdles behind the legendary Alvin Kraenzlein, also of the United States. He reached the final of the 110 metres hurdles, but did not finish, and also participated in the 60 metres and 100 metres sprints, in which he failed to qualify for the finals.

In 2005 the IAAF published the official track and field statistics for the 2004 Summer Olympics. In the historical records section Pritchard was listed as having competed for Great Britain in 1900. Research by Olympic historians has shown that Pritchard was indeed chosen to represent Great Britain after competing in the British AAA championship in June 1900.[4] However, the IOC still regard Pritchard as having competed for India, and his two medals are credited to India.[5]

Pritchard won the Bengal province 100 yards sprint title for seven consecutive years, from 1894 to 1900 and set a meet record in 1898–99. He also won the 440 yards (¼ mile) run and the 120 yards hurdles.[6]

He studied at Saint Xaviers College, Calcutta, and is credited with the first hat-trick in an open football tournament in India, for Saint Xavier's against Sovabazar in July 1897.

He served as Secretary of the Indian Football Association from 1900 to 1902. He moved permanently to Britain in 1905.[6]

He then moved to the United States to pursue a career in acting and became the first Olympian to act in silent Hollywood movies under the screen name, Norman Trevor.[7]

Death

He died in Los Angeles of a brain malady on 30 October 1929.[1]

Selected filmography

References
  1. "The story of a champion from the East". The Telegraph – Calcutta (Kolkata). Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  2. "Norman Pritchard". Olympedia. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  3. "Norman Pritchard". Olympic.org.
  4. David Wallechinsky – The Complete Book of the Olympics Aurum Press 2000
  5. "Paris 1900 Athletics – Results & Videos". International Olympic Committee. 20 November 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  6. "Norman Pritchard – India's first Olympic medalist". sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  7. Ian Buchanan. "Who was Norman Pritchard?" (PDF). Journal of Olympic History. International Society of Olympic Historians (January 2000): 27–28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 November 2018.
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