George W. Orton

author

George W. Orton

1873–1958

A pioneering Canadian runner, he became his country's first Olympic medallist and champion at the 1900 Paris Games. His story is all the more remarkable because he turned to sport after a childhood injury and went on to become one of North America's standout distance athletes.

1 Audiobook

Bob Hunt in Canada

Bob Hunt in Canada

by George W. Orton

About the author

Born in Strathroy, Ontario, on January 10, 1873, George W. Orton grew into one of the leading middle- and long-distance runners of his era. After a childhood accident left him with lasting physical challenges, he used exercise and running to rebuild his strength, discovering an exceptional talent along the way.

At the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, he won the 2,500-metre steeplechase and took bronze in the 400-metre hurdles, making him the first Canadian to win an Olympic medal and the country's first Olympic champion. Because national teams were organized differently at the time, his achievement was not immediately recognized in the way it would be today, but he always regarded himself as Canadian.

Orton studied at the University of Pennsylvania and remained deeply involved in athletics beyond his racing career, including coaching and sports administration. He died on June 24, 1958, leaving behind a legacy as an early Olympic trailblazer and one of the most important figures in Canadian track and field history.