Thomas Hampson (28 October 1907 – 4 September 1965) was an English athlete, winner of the

800 metres The 800 metres, or meters ( US spelling), is a common track running event. It is the shortest commonly run middle-distance running event. The 800 metres is run over two laps of an outdoor (400-metre) track and has been an Olympic event since t ...

at the 1932 Summer Olympics and the first man to run 800 metres in under 1 minute 50 seconds. Hampson, a native of

Clapham Clapham () is a suburb in south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (most notably Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. History Early history ...

(London), didn't take up running seriously until the last year of his studies at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to th ...

. After completing his education, he became a teacher in 1930 (at St Albans School). That same year, he won the British

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championships over 880 yd (805 m), a title he would also claim in 1931 and 1932. Also a winner at the inaugural British Empire Games, Hampson was one of the world's leading runners in the 800 m and half-mile event. That made him one of the top favourites for the 800 m gold at the 1932 Olympics, held in Los Angeles. In the final, Hampson fought off Canadian Alex Wilson to break the tape in 1.49.7, a new

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

. He added a second Olympic medal with the British

4 × 400 metres relay The 4 × 400 metres relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams consist of four runners who each complete 400 metres or one lap. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. At top class events, th ...

team, which came second to the United States. Hampson ended his sports career later that year. Several years later, he left his teaching job to become an educator in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

, a job he kept until after World War II. In 1954, Hampson moved to Stevenage, Hertfordshire, and joined the Stevenage Development Corporation as Social Relations Officer. He was a warden at the church of St Mary in the town, and after he died at the age of 57, he was buried there. Hampson Park in the town was later named after him.

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1907 births 1965 deaths Sportspeople from Clapham English male middle-distance runners English Olympic medallists Olympic athletes for Great Britain Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field) Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field) Athletes (track and field) at the 1932 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1932 Summer Olympics Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics Athletes (track and field) at the 1930 British Empire Games World record setters in athletics (track and field) Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Medallists at the 1930 British Empire Games {{England-athletics-bio-stub