Theo Allen

Theo Allen
Personal information
Full name Theodore Allen
Born (1914-02-22)22 February 1914
Dunedin, New Zealand
Died 16 November 2003(2003-11-16) (aged 89)
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Spouse(s) Heather Margaret Constance Macdonald
Sport
Country New Zealand
Sport Athletics
Achievements and titles
National finals 880 yards champion (1937)

Theodore Allen (22 February 1914 − 16 November 2003) was a New Zealand middle-distance runner, who represented his country at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, New South Wales.

Biography

Born in Dunedin in 1914, Allen was the son of Theodore Allen and his wife Hester Ann Watkins. He was the New Zealand 880 yards champion in 1937, in a time of 1:55.8.[1]

At the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, Allen won the first heat of the 880 yards in an Australian record time, before his compatriot Pat Boot won the second heat in a time 2.2 seconds faster than Allen's.[2] In the final, Boot won the gold medal, while Allen finished in fifth place.[3] In the 1 mile event, Allen finished fourth in his heat,[4] but in the final he did not finish, withdrawing from the race at the half-way point.[5]

During World War II, Allen was a second lieutenant in the New Zealand Railway Operating Group.[6] He died in Perth, Western Australia in 2003.[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ Hollings, Stephen (January 2015). "National champions 1887–2014" (PDF). Athletics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "880 yards: record-breaking heats". Sydney Morning Herald. 7 February 1938. p. 17. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Vernon Boot breaks his own record". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 1938. p. 15. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "Games results: athletics". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 February 1938. p. 18. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  5. ↑ "Further records". New Zealand Herald. 14 February 1938. p. 11. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "New Zealand, World War II appointments, promotions, transfers and resignations, 1939–1945". Ancestry.com. 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2015. (subscription required (help)).
  7. ↑ "War service stifles Olympic medal dream". Otago Daily Times. 22 November 2003. p. 39.
  8. ↑ "Summary of record information". Metropolitan Cemeteries Board. Retrieved 26 May 2015.


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