John Flanagan (athlete)

John Flanagan (1908 )

John Joseph Flanagan ( born January 9, 1873 in Kilbreedy, County Limerick, † June 4, 1938 in Kilmallack, County Limerick ) was an American track and field athlete of Irish origin.

Career

1896 John Flanagan emigrated to the United States to work at the New York City Police Department. His first Olympic victory celebrated the hammer thrower in Paris in 1900 as a member of the U.S. team, though he was at that time, nor a national of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. His other Olympic successes were another first place in the hammer throw in 1904 in St. Louis, a second place in weight throwing (56 lbs. ) In 1904 and a new hammer throw victory in London in 1908. At the Olympics 1900 he also took part in an exhibition match in the tug of war. In 1911 he returned to Ireland and died there in 1938.

His cousin Denis Carey was also successful as a hammer thrower.