Jack Mekler (4 March 1932 – 1 July 2019) was a South African

long-distance runner Long-distance running, or endurance running, is a form of continuous running over distances of at least . Physiologically, it is largely Aerobic exercise, aerobic in nature and requires stamina as well as mental strength. Within endurance ru ...

Biography

Mekler was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. His parents emigrated to South Africa from Eastern Europe in the 1920s. His mother developed

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...

and at the age of nine he was sent by his father to live at the Arcadia Orphanage. His early life was spent in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

, where he attended

Parktown Boys' High School Parktown Boys' High School is a public English medium high school for boys situated in Parktown, a suburb of Johannesburg in the Gauteng province of South Africa. It is one of the oldest schools in Johannesburg. Parktown Boys' sister school is P ...

. At the age of thirteen, Mekler decided to improve his health and fitness by running. When he was sixteen, he joined the Germiston Callies club and started serious long-distance running. He won the

Comrades Marathon The Comrades Marathon is an ultramarathon of approximately which is run annually in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. It is the world's largest and oldest ultramarathon race. The dire ...

five times as well as various other

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...

s around the world. He competed for South Africa in various international games. Mekler finished seventh in the 1952 Comrades Marathon, became the Southern Transvaal Marathon Champion in 2:42:57 and won the Durban Athletic Club Marathon. In 1953 he finished fifth in the Comrades Marathon and defended his two marathon titles. In 1954, he improved in a marathon in Port Elizabeth at 2:28:58 and one week later was the South African marathon champion in 2:35:26. He represented South Africa at the

1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games The 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Vancouver, British Columbia, from 30 July to 7 August 1954. This was the fifth edition of the event that would eventually become known as the Commonwealth Games, the second post-war G ...

in Vancouver, where he won the silver medal behind Scotland's Joe McGhee in marathon competition, and in the fall he again won the South Transvaal Championship and the Durban Athletic Club marathon. Mekler finished third behind Bill McMinnis and

Geoff Iden Geoffrey Lionel Iden (8 October 1914 – 12 January 1991) was a British middle- and long-distance runner who had his biggest successes in the marathon. He competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics. Biography Iden was born in Stepney, London, ...

in the marathon event at the British

1955 AAA Championships The 1955 AAA Championships was the 1955 edition of the annual outdoor track and field competition organised by the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA). It was held from 15 to 16 July 1955 at White City Stadium White City Stadium in London, ...

. In 1957, he was again national marathon champion. In 1958 followed a third place in the South African Marathon Championship, his first victory in the Comrades Marathon. In 1959 he was third in the Comrades Marathon. In 1960, he finished second in the South African Marathon Championship, remained at the Comrades Marathon at 5:56:32 h, first on the up-run track under six hours and won the London to Brighton Race. In 1962, he was second in the Comrades Marathon, and in 1963 he set a track record of 5:51:20. In 1964, he was with his personal best of 2:27:54 h second in the South African Marathon Championship for whites. At the Comrades Marathon he won for the fourth time. In 1965, he finished second there, in 1968 he moved with his fifth triumph with the previous record winners Arthur FH Newton, Hardy Ballington and Wally Hayward equal, and in 1969 he was third. In May 2019, Mekler published his autobiography ''Running Alone''. Mekler died in Cape Town on 1 July 2019 aged 87 years old. During his running career, he finished 41 marathons, winning 14, and 32 ultramarathons, winning 13. In addition, he raced in 403 races under the marathon distance. A 25 km Jackie Mekler race is held annually in

Gauteng Gauteng ( , ; Sotho-Tswana languages, Sotho-Tswana for 'place of gold'; or ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts f ...

in his honour.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mekler, Jackie 1932 births 2019 deaths South African male long-distance runners Athletes from Johannesburg Athletes (track and field) at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games silver medallists for South Africa Commonwealth Games athletes for South Africa Alumni of Parktown Boys' High School South African ultramarathon runners White South African people Medallists at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games 20th-century South African sportsmen Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics