Harry Jerome - Track & Field

Harry Jerome found his way from Canada to Eugene and became one of the state’s greatest performers, setting a world record three times and competing in three Olympic Summer Games before becoming a civic advocate for athletics.

Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan in 1940, Jerome played football and baseball as a youth, but excelled as a sprinter and hurdler and set the Canadian record in the 220-yard dash at age 18. A year later, he equaled the world record of 10.0 seconds in the 100 meters during the Canadian Olympic Trials. He competed in the 1960 Rome Olympics prior to enrolling at the University of Oregon, where he won two NCAA titles from 1962-64.

He represented Canada and won a bronze medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games and competed in the ‘68 Mexico City Olympic Games as well.

Jerome set the world record in both the 100 yards and 100 meters during his career and ran the anchor leg on the 440 yard relay team comprised of University of Oregon sprinters that set the world record in 1962.

Following his career, Jerome helped create the Ministry of Sport in Canada. Vancouver, B.C., is home to the Harry Jerome Invitational Track Classic each summer. He died in 1982 at age 42.

Jerome was inducted to the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1981 and the University of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.