Golden Athletes Are Worthy

[DoubleRBar]

Happy birthday today (Sunday) to two Olympic champions with a total of 187 years since their births.

Today, these two shall be called "W" and "M".

"W" was 27 years old when "M" was born.

One of these two champions turns 80 years today while the other individual died at the age of 78.

No hurdles were involved with these athletes' two Olympic gold medals.

I almost included Volmari Iso-Hollo (Finland) in today's birthday celebration, however I can't seem to get a definite date on his birthday in 1907. Some say he was born on May 1, but then others say it was January 5, 1907. Maybe Olli or LopenUupunut or others can help me with his correct birthday.

Our birthday athletes competed in a total of two Olympic Games (one in Europe and another in Asia).

These two people competed in "similar" events at the Olympic Games.

The champion that turns 80 today was born very near the Atlantic Ocean while the other athlete was born very near the Pacific Ocean.

Can you name our two birthday champions on this first Sunday of May?

Please try without using any research.

Good luck to everyone.

[Olli]

All sources I consulted say Iso-Hollo was born 5th of January. If some sources indicate 1st of May, the confusion may be caused by the American way to mark dates. What is 5/1 in Europe is 1/5 in USA.

[DoubleRBar]

Thank you, Olli. I didn't catch that. Very good and it makes a lot of sense.

[bambam1729]

Olli's correct that this is the US/Euro problem with dates. Fairly certain it is 5 January which is what we have on Olympedia.

Our main source for Finnish Olympians is the very definitive "Urheilukunniamme puolustajat Suomen olympia-edustajat 1906-2000" by the late Markku Siukonen, who was the main source on Finnish Olympians. That book has 5.1.1907 = 5 January 1907 in Euro terms.

We also have the entry lists for the 1936 Olympics, which also list 5.1.1907 = 5 January as it is completely in European style.

[LopenUupunut]

Archie Williams and Gerry Ashworth?

Iso-Hollo's gravestone says 5 January, so I'd presume that's accurate.

[noone]

Was Iso-Hollo the guy who had to run an extra lap when the officials screwed up?

[DoubleRBar]

Archie Williams was born in California 107 years ago today (Sunday). Gerry Ashworth was born in Massachusetts 80 years ago today (Sunday). Well done, LopenUupunut.

Williams won the 400 gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. The American four by 400 relay team could have used him in Berlin (the U.S. was second to Great Britain).

Archie Williams was a pilot in the Air Force (Army Air Corps during World War II). He was 78 in 1993 when he died in California.

Gerry Ashworth went to Dartmouth College and ran the second leg on the American four by 100 relay that won the gold medal (thanks to Bob Hayes) with a world record of 39.0 at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964.

Ashworth celebrated his 80th birthday today (Sunday).

Thank you for the information on Iso-Hollo's gravestone, LopenUupunut. Hard to get more first-hand knowledge than that.

Thank you, LopenUupunut, Olli, bambam1729, and noone.

Yes, Volmari Iso-Hollo (and the rest of the field) ran an extra lap at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics in the steeplechase (3,460 steeplechase). He won the steeplechase in Berlin (1936) as well. He also won the Olympic bronze medal in the Berlin (1936) 10,000.

[Olli]

Iso-Hollo's gravestone says 5 January, so I'd presume that's accurate.

Yea, here you can see (somewhat vaguely) it says 5.1.1907, which means 5th January.

https://www.google.com/search?q=kera...jthpJvm0gLuf8M

[DoubleRBar]

Thank you, Olli.