Henry Macintosh

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameHenry Maitland•Macintosh
Used nameHenry•Macintosh
Born10 June 1892 in Kelso, Scotland (GBR)
Died26 July 1918 in near Albert, Somme (FRA)
Measurements173 cm / 66 kg
AffiliationsUniversity of Cambridge, Cambridge (GBR)
NOC Great Britain
Medals OG
Gold 1
Silver 0
Bronze 0
Total 1

Biography

The son of a vicar, Henry Macintosh, who was educated at Glenalmond College, where he became the first boy to win the athletics Challenge Cup three years in succession. He then went up to Corpus Christi, Cambridge, but had a poor domestic season prior to the 1912 Olympic Games. He lost to Duncan Macmillan in the 100 yards at the Cambridge University sports and in the match against Oxford, and at the AAA Championships he finished last in his 100 yards heat and did not run in the 220 yards. In Stockholm, he was eliminated in the heats of both sprints and 1912 would have been a very lean year had it not been for his Olympic gold medal in the sprint relay. In 1913, Macintosh was President of the Cambridge University AC and won the 100 yards against Oxford. His vastly improved form continued when he won the Scottish 100 yards title before equaling the British record of 9.8 seconds in Vienna.

In 1914, he again won the 100 yards against Oxford before leaving to serve as an Assistant District Commission in South Africa after obtaining his B.A. from Cambridge in June that same year. After only a few months, the outbreak of war brought him home and he was commissioned into the 8th battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. In the summer of 1918, Captain Macintosh was killed in action during the Second Battle of the Somme. Macintosh was also a fine rugby wing three-quarter, and played for the Cambridge XV. At the time of his death, his two brothers were both prisoners-of-war in Germany.

Personal Bests: 100y – 9.8 (1913); 100 – 10.7 (1913); 200 – 22.1 (1913).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1912 Summer Olympics Athletics GBR Henry Macintosh
100 metres, Men (Olympic) 3 h11 r1/3
200 metres, Men (Olympic) AC h3 r2/3
4 × 100 metres Relay, Men (Olympic) Great Britain 1 Gold

Special Notes