View source for Reggie Walker (sprinter)

{{Short description|South African athlete}}
{{other people|Reggie Walker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use South African English|date=June 2012}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
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| caption = 
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| textcolor = <!-- Personal information -->
| native_name = 
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| birth_name = Reginald Edgar Walker
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| nationality = <!-- will not display if national_team is defined -->
| national_team = <!-- only for the country represented in international competition -->
| citizenship = 
| birth_date = {{birth date|1889|03|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Durban]], [[Colony of Natal|Natal]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1951|11|05|1889|03|16|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Durban]], [[Natal (province)|Natal]]
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's [[Sport of athletics|athletics]]}}
{{MedalCountry| {{flagIOC|RSA|1908 Summer}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold  | [[1908 Summer Olympics|1908 London]] | [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres|100 metres]]}}
}}

'''Reginald Edgar Walker''' (16 March 1889 in [[Durban]] &ndash; 5 November 1951) was a South African [[Sport of athletics|athlete]] and the 1908 [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] champion in the 100 metres.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/75343 |title=Reggie Walker |work=Olympedia |access-date=4 March 2021}}</ref>
[[File:London 1908 Olympics-Walker wins 100 metres.jpg|thumb|London 1908 Olympics-Walker wins 100 metres]]
== Biography ==
Born in the [[Colony of Natal]], Walker, the 1907 South African Champion, was not among the big favourites for the 100 metres at the [[1908 Summer Olympics]]. He even had trouble getting to [[London]], as he lacked the necessary finances until a Natal sportswriter collected funds to support Walker's travel. In England, he was coached by [[Sam Mussabini]], later also the coach of [[Harold Abrahams]].

Several of the big names did not qualify for the final, but Walker did. His first round was a relatively easy victory run in 11.0 seconds. In the second round, Walker edged out [[William W. May]] of the [[United States]] while tying the Olympic record of 10.8 seconds. This qualified him for the final. There he competed against three North Americans, including [[James Rector (athlete)|James Rector]] of the United States, who had equalled the Olympic record in both of the qualifier rounds. Walker beat Rector in the final by about a foot and half, again equaling the Olympic record in 10.8 seconds.

Walker was still the youngest winner of the Olympic 100 metres {{As of|2021|lc=on}} (at 19 years and 128 days).

During [[World War I]], Walker served with the 7th Infantry in [[German South West Africa]], before joining the [[South African Overseas Expeditionary Force]] in 1917, serving in [[Western Front (World War I)|France]], during which time he received a gunshot wound to the head. Walker was discharged from the Army in 1919 and later worked as a clerk with [[Ropes & Mattings]] in [[Nairobi]], [[Kenya Colony]], before returning to South Africa.<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wa/reggie-walker-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417094443/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wa/reggie-walker-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|accessdate=1 August 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book | last = Cook | first = Theodore Andrea | year = 1908 | title = The Fourth Olympiad, Being the Official Report | publisher = British Olympic Association | location = London}}
* {{cite web | last = De Wael | first = Herman | year = 2001 | url = http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/ath1908.html | title = Athletics 1908 | work = Herman's Full Olympians | accessdate = 14 July 2006 | archive-date = 27 September 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060927093153/http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/ath1908.html | url-status = dead }}
* {{cite web | last = Wudarski | first = Pawel | year = 1999 | url = http://olympic.w.interia.pl/ | title = Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich | accessdate = 14 July 2006|language=pl}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061105135401/http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=WALKEREG01 Reggie Walker on databaseOlympics.com]
*{{Sports links}}

{{Footer_Olympic_Champions_100_m_Men}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Reggie}}
[[Category:1889 births]]
[[Category:1951 deaths]]
[[Category:Athletes from Durban]]
[[Category:South African male sprinters]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for South Africa]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for South Africa]]
[[Category:Colony of Natal people]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:South African military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:20th-century South African sportsmen]]