Peter Hildreth

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full namePeter Burke•Hildreth
Used namePeter•Hildreth
Born8 July 1928 in Bedford, England (GBR)
Died25 February 2011 in Farnham, England (GBR)
Measurements183 cm / 64 kg
AffiliationsPolytechnic Harriers, Westminster (GBR)
NOC Great Britain

Biography

Although born in England, Peter Hildreth spent his early years in India. His father Will Hildreth had been a outstanding sprinter who had held the Indian 200 m record for two decades and represented India at the 1924 Olympic Games. Hildreth was sent home to England to be educated and began his track and field career whilst a pupil at Ratcliffe College. After serving his compulsory military service he went on to study history at Cambridge University and it was whilst a student there that he began to make his mark in international competition. Hildreth won the AAA 120 yards hurdles championship in 1950 and was chosen for that year’s European Championship. Running in an outside lane at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels he won the bronze medal behind André Marie of France. Although Hildreth competed at three Olympic Games, three European Championships and a Commonwealth Games this was his only major championship medal. He won further AAA championships in 1953 and 1956 over the 120 yard hurdles and in 1952 and 1954 over 220 yard hurdles and equaled Don Finlay’s British 120 yard hurdles record five times over the course of his career. Hildreth retired from competitive athletics after the Rome Olympics and took up the post of athletics correspondent for the newly launched Sunday Telegraph newspaper. In a 33 year span with the newspaper he reported on every major championship and was a strongly opinionated opponent of the use of doping in his sport.

Personal Best: 110H – 14.3y (1957).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1952 Summer Olympics Athletics GBR Peter Hildreth
110 metres Hurdles, Men (Olympic) 6 h1 r2/3
4 × 100 metres Relay, Men (Olympic) Great Britain DNS
1956 Summer Olympics Athletics GBR Peter Hildreth
110 metres Hurdles, Men (Olympic) 4 h4 r1/3
4 × 100 metres Relay, Men (Olympic) Great Britain DNS
1960 Summer Olympics Athletics GBR Peter Hildreth
110 metres Hurdles, Men (Olympic) 5 h1 r2/4

Olympic family relations

Special Notes