Tim Ahearne

Tim Ahearne was born in Direen, Athea, Ireland, and gained fame in Irish athletics along with his brother, Dan Ahearn. Tim Ahearne won the gold medal in the 1908 triple jump, fighting hard after the disappointment of an eighth-place finish in the long jump three days earlier. He had trailed Garfield MacDonald throughout the competition but on his very last jump he beat the Canadian’s best effort by six inches to take the gold medal. Ahearne’s winning mark of 14.91 (48-11¼) was a world record with the then standard hop-step-jump technique, although a number of athletes, mostly Irish, had jumped further using the hop-hop-jump method. Ahearne was also an Irish champion in the high hurdles and he competed in this event – and the standing long jump – at the 1908 Olympics.

In 1909 Tim Ahearne won Irish titles in the high jump, long jump and the 120 yard high hurdles. He also crossed over to England and won the AAA Championship in the long jump, placing second in the high jump. These were his last major competitions in the British Isles, as he emigrated to America shortly thereafter, arriving in New York on 30 September 1909. His brother also moved to the United States and in the next few years became the greatest triple jumper in the world. Tim placed second at the US AAU Championships in the triple jump in 1911, 1913-14, and 1916, each time finishing second to Dan (who had dropped the final “e” from his name). In 1911 Tim did win the Canadian AAU long jump championships. Tim Ahearne later settled on a farm in upstate New York, where he raised prize-winning pedigree cattle.

Personal Bests: 120yH – 16.6 (1909); LJ – 7.57 (24-10) (1908); TJ – 14.92 (48-11¼) (1908).