Percy Hobson (athlete)
Percival "Percy" Francis Hobson is a former Australian high jumper.
Early life
Hobson was born on 5 November 1943 in Bourke, New South Wales to Fanny Williams and Percival Hobson, both Indigenous Australians. One of ten children, Hobson took his father's name who was from Bourke. His mother Fanny was from Brewarrina.[3] Hobson during his youth he trained using a makeshift high-jump.[4]
Career
In March 1962 at the Australian Athletics Championships, Hobson won the high jump event with a jump of 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), defeating Tony Sneazwell on a countback.[2] Eight months later at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Hobson, aged 19 years, won gold in the high jump clearing the bar at 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m),[5] setting a new Commonwealth Games record.[6] In doing so, he became the first Indigenous Australian to win a gold medal for Australia at the Commonwealth Games. Hobson received a hero's welcome when he return to Bourke with the local brass band played "Hail, the Conquering Hero".[2] A local park in Bourke was later renamed Percy Hobson Park in his honour.[7]
References
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