View source for Pat Boot

{{short description|New Zealand middle-distance runner}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| honorific_prefix =
| name             = Pat Boot
| honorific_suffix = 
| image            = Vernon Boot 1936.jpg
| image_size       = 
| alt              = 
| caption          = Boot on the decks of ''[[MS Wanganella|Wanganella]]'' in 1936
| headercolor      =
| textcolor        =
| birth_name       = Vernon Patrick Boot
| birth_date       = {{Birth date|1914|10|22|df=y}} 
| birth_place      = [[Kaikōura]], New Zealand
| death_date       = {{Death date and age|1947|01|15|1914|10|22|df=y}} 
| death_place      = [[Gisborne, New Zealand|Gisborne]], New Zealand
| resting_place    = 
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| education        =
| alma_mater       = [[Lincoln University (New Zealand)|Canterbury Agricultural College]]
| occupation       = 
| years_active     = 
| height           = 1.79 m<ref name="SportsReference"/>
| weight           = 73 kg
| spouse           = {{marriage|Lorna Hinepare Kessell|1940|1943|end=d.}}
| module           = 
<!-- Sport -->
| country          = New Zealand
| sport            = [[Track and field|Athletics]]
| club = Canterbury 
| module2          = 
<!-- Achievements and titles -->
| nationals        = 880 yards champion (1936, 1938, 1939, 1940)<br>1 mile champion (1936)
| olympics         = 
| commonwealth     = 
| highestranking   = 
| pb               = 800 m – 1:50.5 (1938)<br>Mile – 4.12.6 (1938)<ref name="SportsReference"/><ref>[http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=680&Gender=M Vernon-Patrick Boot]. trackfield.brinkster.net</ref>
| <!-- Medal record -->
| medaltemplates   = 
{{MedalCountry | {{NZL}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Commonwealth Games|British Empire Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[1938 British Empire Games|1938 Sydney]]|880 yards}}
{{MedalBronze| [[1938 British Empire Games|1938 Sydney]]|1 mile}}
| show-medals      = yes
}}
'''Vernon Patrick Boot''' (22 October 1914 – 15 January 1947) was a New Zealand [[Middle distance track event|middle-distance runner]] who represented his country at the [[New Zealand at the 1936 Summer Olympics|1936 Summer Olympics]] and at the [[New Zealand at the 1938 British Empire Games|1938 British Empire Games]], winning gold and bronze medals at the latter.

==Early life and family==
Born in [[Kaikōura]] on 22 October 1914,<ref name="SportsReference">{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bo/pat-boot-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418003214/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bo/pat-boot-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Pat Boot |website=Sports Reference |access-date=10 July 2017}}</ref> Boot was the son of Percy Vernon Boot and Estelle Marie Boot (formerly England, née Edge).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Dbirths |title=Birth search: registration number 1914/27327 |website=Births, deaths & marriages online |publisher=Department of Internal Affairs |access-date=10 July 2017}}</ref> He was educated at [[Ashburton High School]] and [[Timaru Boys' High School]], and went on to study at [[Lincoln University, New Zealand|Canterbury Agricultural College]] from 1934 to 1935, where he trained for a diploma in agriculture.<ref name="Lincoln">{{cite web |url=http://livingheritage.lincoln.ac.nz/nodes/view/5642 |title=V.P. Boot |publisher=Lincoln University |access-date=10 July 2017}}</ref> In 1937, Boot joined the [[Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (New Zealand)|Department of Agriculture]] as an assistant fields instructor.<ref name="Lincoln"/>

On 23 March 1940, Boot married Lorna Hinepare Kessell at St Peter's Church, [[Wellington]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19400126.2.126.1 | title=Engagements | date=26 January 1940 | work=Evening Post | access-date=10 July 2017 | page=11}}</ref><ref name="Wedding">{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19400323.2.170.5 | title=Married today | date=23 March 1940 | work=Evening Post | access-date=10 July 2017 | page=16}}</ref> Lorna Boot died from meningitis on 15 September 1943 while her husband was serving overseas during [[World War II]].<ref name="Lincoln"/><ref name="Lorna obituary">{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19430916.2.78.6 | title=Obituary: Mrs. Vernon "Pat" Boot | date=16 September 1943 | work=Evening Post | access-date=10 July 2017 | page=8}}</ref>

==Athletics==
As a schoolboy at Timaru Boys' High School, Boot ran the 880 yards in 2:00.0, and the 1 mile in 4:26.8.<ref name="Lincoln"/>

Boot competed at the [[1936 Summer Olympics]] in [[Berlin]] in the [[Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres|men's 800 metres]], finishing last in his semi-final. Like his teammate, [[Cecil Matthews]], he suffered tendon problems from running on the decks of the ''[[MS Wanganella|Wanganella]]'' en route to the games, and was below his best form.  He withdrew from the fourth heat of the 1500 metres.<ref name="McMillan">{{cite book | last = McMillan | first = Neville | year = 1993 |publisher= Moa Beckett |location=Auckland | title = New Zealand sporting legends: 27 pre-war sporting heroes | pages=14–20 | isbn=1-869580-14-1}}</ref>

At the [[1938 British Empire Games]] in [[Sydney]], Boot won the gold medal in the men's 880 yards with a tremendous sprint 70 yards from the end.<ref name="McMillan"/> His time of 1:51.2 was an Empire Games and Australian record.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19380208.2.87 | title=Empire Games results | date=8 February 1938 | work=The Press | access-date=10 July 2017 | page=11}}</ref> In the 1 mile, he won the bronze medal, finishing six yards behind the winner, [[Jim Alford]] of Wales.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19380214.2.93.2 | title=Further records | date=14 February 1938 | work=New Zealand Herald | access-date=10 July 2017 | page=11}}</ref>

Boot won five New Zealand national athletics titles: the 880 yards in 1936, 1938, 1939, and 1940; and the 1 mile in 1936.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.anzrankings.org.nz/userfiles/file/National_Champions.pdf |title=National champions 1887–2014 |date=January 2015 |publisher=Athletics New Zealand |access-date=3 August 2016 | first=Stephen | last=Hollings}}</ref>

==Military service==
In World War II, Boot trained as an officer at the Army Training School at [[Trentham Military Camp|Trentham]].<ref name="Wedding"/> He went overseas with the [[2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force]] not long after his marriage, and served in the Middle East and Italy.<ref name="Lincoln"/><ref name="Lorna obituary"/> Rising to the rank of captain, Boot suffered from jaundice while serving in Italy in 1944, and in 1945, after his return to New Zealand, he was accidentally badly scalded.<ref name="Lincoln"/>

==Death==
Boot was an instructor in agriculture at [[Gisborne, New Zealand|Gisborne]] when he died on 15 January 1947 when under anaesthesia for dental treatment.<ref name="Lincoln"/> He was buried at Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cemeterysearch.gdc.govt.nz/detail/TARUHERU*5882 |title=Cemetery record search |publisher=Gisborne District Council |access-date=31 July 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Pat Boot}}
*[https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/Gov12_12Rail-fig-Gov12_12Rail038a.html Photo of V. P. Boot running with a ''splendid style'' c1938]

{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 800m Men}}
{{1936 New Zealand Olympic team}}
{{1938 New Zealand British Empire Games team}}
{{Footer New Zealand NC 800 m men}}
{{Footer New Zealand NC 1500 m men}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boot, Pat}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1947 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Kaikōura]]
[[Category:People educated at Ashburton College]]
[[Category:People educated at Timaru Boys' High School]]
[[Category:Lincoln University (New Zealand) alumni]]
[[Category:New Zealand male middle-distance runners]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for New Zealand]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1936 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1938 British Empire Games]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for New Zealand]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for New Zealand]]
[[Category:New Zealand military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Burials at Taruheru Cemetery]]
[[Category:New Zealand Army officers]]
[[Category:Athletes from the Canterbury Region]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1938 British Empire Games]]
[[Category:New Zealand Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:20th-century New Zealand sportsmen]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in athletics]]