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James Wilson
	James Wilson at the 1920 Olympics
Personal information
Born	2 October 1891; Windsor, Berkshire, England
Died	1973 (aged c. 81); London Borough of Brent, Great Britain
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	60 kg (132 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event	10,000 m
Club	Greenock Glenpark Harriers
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	Mile – 4:28.0 (1915); 4 miles – 20:22.4 (1920); 6 miles – 30:45.0 (1920); 10,000 m – 31:50.8 (1920); 10 miles – 52:04.4 (1920)
Medal record
Representing Great Britain
Olympic Games
International Cross Country Championships
Representing England
Representing Scotland

James Wilson (2 October 1891 – 1973) was a Scottish long-distance runner who specialised in the 10,000 metres.^[4] He competed for Great Britain at the 1920 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal in the 10,000 metres, five seconds behind Paavo Nurmi; Wilson beat Nurmi by some 5 seconds in the heats. He finished fourth in the individual 8,000 m cross-country race, again behind Nurmi, but won a silver medal with the British team. Nationally Wilson won Scottish titles over 4 miles in 1914–20 and over 10 miles in 1920.^[2]

James and his twin brother John were the youngest of five children of Isabella and Robert Wilson, Scottish migrant workers in England. His father was a herdsman from Aberdeenshire. James and John were inspired to join the local athletics club by watching the 1908 Olympic marathon race that passed nearby their home. Later, when World War I broke out, John enlisted to the army and died from peritonitis in 1916, while James stayed at home earning his living as a metalworker. After the 1920 Olympics he found a job as mechanical engineer at the Neasden Power Station, which provided electricity to the Metropolitan Railways, and semi-retired from running. He resumed competing in 1923, when he joined Surrey Athletic Club, but never regained his past shape and retired for good in 1925.^[1]

Wilson was married to Annie Williams. He died from a bowel cancer aged 81–82.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c James Wilson. anentscottishrunning.com. 13 August 2013
^ ^a ^b James Wilson Archived 6 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine. sports-reference.com
^ James Wilson. trackfield.brinkster.net
^ "James Wilson". Olympedia. Retrieved 13 July 2021.