Peter O'Connor (athlete)
Peter O'Connor ( born October 18, 1874 in Millom, Cumbria, England; † November 9, 1957 in Waterford, Ireland) was an Irish athlete who was successful in the jumping events.
O'Connor grew up in Ashtown, County Wicklow in Ireland. He joined in 1896 at the Gaelic Athletic Association. For a decade he was an outstanding athlete in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. He won the 1901-1906 championship of the British Amateur Athletic Association in the long jump and 1903 and 1904 the title in the high jump.
The world record
1901 O'Connor jumped 7.51 meters first world record in the long jump. He rose about 7.54 to 7.60 meters. On August 5, 1901, he jumped in Dublin 7.61 meters. As 1912, the International Amateur Athletics Federation ( IAAF) released the first official world record list, even the jump from Peter O'Connor was taken after until then no one had advanced.
This first official world record in the long jump held for almost 20 years until on July 23, 1921 Edward Gourdin 7.69 meters jumped. Only the legendary jumps of Jesse Owens (8.13 meters in 1935 ) with 25 years of Bob Beamon (8.90 meters in 1968 ) at age 23 still had more inventory. As a British record performance was surpassed only by the Welshman Lynn Davies in 1962. As an Irish record O'Connors outlasted width until 1990, when Carlos O'Connell jumped 7.63 meters.
Olympic Games between 1906
Three Irish athletes, John Daly, Con Leahy and Peter O'Connor went to the 1906 Summer Olympics in Athens. There they learned that only recognized National Olympic Committees were authorized to start. They could therefore not compete for Ireland, but started for the United Kingdom.
O'Connor was in the long jump with 7,025 yards second behind the Americans Meyer Prinstein who jumped 7.20 meters. In the high jump, the Leahy won, also launched O'Connor, but was not among the top eight Springer. Finally, O'Connor won the triple jump with 14.075 meters before Leahy, who jumped 13.98 meters.
After 1906 O'Connor did not win any more titles. He was the long jump and the Irish athletics but connected as an official and referee.
Peter O'Connor was 1.84 m tall and weighed 76 kg. By profession, O'Connor was a lawyer in Waterford.
Bests
- High Jump: 1.88 meters
- Long Jump: 7.61 meters
- Triple Jump: 14,63 meters