Tim Ahearne

Disappointed by his eighth place in the long jump three days earlier, Tim Ahearne fought hard for his victory in the 1908 Olympic triple jump. He had trained Garfield MacDonald throughout the competition but on his very last jump he beat the Canadian's best effort by six inches to take the gold medal. Ahearne's winning mark of 14.91 (48-11¼) was a new world record with the by now standard hop-step-jump technique, although a number of athletes, mostly Irish, had jumped further using the hop-hop-jump method. Ahearne was also the Irish champion in the high hurdles and he competed in this event – and the standing long jump – at the 1908 Olympics. On returning to Ireland after the 1908 Games, Ahearne revealed his true form in the long jump and came within two inches of Peter O'Connor's world record of 24-11¾ (7.61). In 1909 he cleared a magnificent 25-3½ (7.71) in his home town of Athea but the record was disallowed because of a downhill runway. Five days later Tim won the AAA long jump title, and then followed his younger brother Daniel to America. Earlier in 1909, Dan Ahearn, who dropped the final "e" from his name on emigrating, had taken over from Tim as world record holder in the triple jump when he cleared 50-11 (15.52) in Boston on August 1.

Personal Bests: 120yH – 16.6 (1909); LJ – 7.57 (24-10) (1908); TJ – 14.92 (48-11¼) (1908).