View source for Alex Wilson (Canadian sprinter)

{{short description|Canadian sprinter}}
{{other people|Alexander Wilson}}
{{MedalTableTop|Alex Wilson (1928).jpg|200px|name=Alex Wilson|medals=
{{Medal|Sport|Men's [[Athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{flag|Canada|1921}} }}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[1932 Summer Olympics|1932 Los Angeles]]|[[Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres|800 m]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[1928 Summer Olympics|1928 Amsterdam]]|[[Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[1932 Summer Olympics|1932 Los Angeles]]|[[Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[1932 Summer Olympics|1932 Los Angeles]]|[[Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Commonwealth Games|British Empire Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold| [[1930 British Empire Games|1930 Hamilton]]| 440 yd}}
{{Medal|Silver| [[1930 British Empire Games|1930 Hamilton]]| 4 × 440 yd}}
{{Medal|Bronze| [[1930 British Empire Games|1930 Hamilton]]| 880 yd}}
}}

'''Alexander S. Wilson''' (December 1, 1907 – December 9, 1994) was a [[Canadians|Canadian]] [[sprint (running)|sprint]]er who competed in both the [[1928 Summer Olympics]] and the [[1932 Summer Olympics]]. He was born in [[Montreal]] and died in [[Mission, Texas]], United States.<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wi/alex-wilson-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417115428/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wi/alex-wilson-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-17 |title=Alex Wilson}}</ref>

In 1928 he won a bronze medal with the [[Canada at the 1928 Summer Olympics|Canadian team]] in the [[Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400 metres relay]] event.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417173956/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1928/ATH/mens-4-x-400-metres-relay.html Athletics at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Games: Men's 4 × 400 metres Relay]; retrieved June 20, 2013</ref> In the [[Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|400&nbsp;metre competition]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417051710/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1928/ATH/mens-400-metres-semi-finals.html Athletics at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Games: Men's 400 metres Semi-Finals]; retrieved June 20, 2013</ref> as well as in the [[Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres|800&nbsp;metre contest]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417051716/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1928/ATH/mens-800-metres-semi-finals.html Athletics at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Games: Men's 800 metres Semi-Finals]; retrieved June 20, 2013</ref> he was eliminated in the semi-finals. Four years later, he won the silver medal in the [[Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres|800&nbsp;metre]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417171032/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1932/ATH/mens-800-metres.html Athletics at the 1932 Los Angeles Summer Games: Men's 800 metres]; retrieved June 20, 2013</ref> event and the bronze medal in the [[Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|400&nbsp;metre]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417171606/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1932/ATH/mens-400-metres.html Athletics at the 1932 Los Angeles Summer Games: Men's 400 metres]; retrieved June 20, 2013</ref> competition. With the [[Canada at the 1932 Summer Olympics|Canadian team]] he won another bronze medal in the [[Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400 metre relay]] contest.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417173956/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1932/ATH/mens-4-x-400-metres-relay.html Athletics at the 1932 Los Angeles Summer Games: Men's 4 × 400 metres Relay]; retrieved June 20, 2013</ref>

At the [[1930 British Empire Games]] (now the [[Commonwealth Games]]) he won the gold medal in the [[Athletics at the 1930 British Empire Games|440&nbsp;yards event]] and the bronze medal in the 880&nbsp;yards competition. With the [[Canada at the 1930 British Empire Games|Canadian relay team]] he won the silver medal in the 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;440&nbsp;yards contest.<ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/cg.htm Commonwealth Games Medallists - Athletics (Men)]; retrieved June 20, 2013</ref> He was a track and field athlete at the [[University of Notre Dame]] and the [[Alex Wilson Invitational]] was named for him because he went on to coach the [[track and field]] team for several decades. At Notre Dame he won the 400 meter NCAA Outdoor Championship in 1932.

Wilson was born in [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]] and died in [[Hidalgo, Texas|Hidalgo]], [[Texas]].<ref>[https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/alexander-wilson Alexander Wilson]</ref>

==Awards==
* [[Canadian Track Hall of Fame]] (1954)
* [[Helms Athletic Foundation|Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame]] (1967)
* [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] Cross Country Coaches Association National Coach of the Year (1972)
* [[US Track & Field & Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame]] (2008)

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060317175756/http://und.collegesports.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/030206aab.html |title=Notre Dame Athletic site }}
*[https://www.canadianplanet.net/alexander-wilson-the-greatest-sprinter-F120AC7001CD445 Alex Wilson the greatest sprinter]
* {{CGF profile|37765}}
* {{Olympedia|66280}}

{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 400m Men}}
{{Footer US NC Indoor 600y Men}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Alexander}}
[[Category:1907 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:Anglophone Quebec people]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Montreal]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1928 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1930 British Empire Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1932 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
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[[Category:Canadian male middle-distance runners]]
[[Category:Canadian people of British descent]]
[[Category:Canadian male sprinters]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Canada]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Canada]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Canada]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Canada]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Canada]]
[[Category:Olympic track and field athletes for Canada]]
[[Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1928 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1932 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1930 British Empire Games]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in athletics]]