Garnett Wikoff

Garnett Merrill Wikoff (November 12, 1886 – November 5, 1959) was an American long-distance runner. He attended Ohio State University and competed for the Ohio State Buckeyes track and field program for three years, later being named to the Ohio State All-Century team. He competed in the men's 5000 metres at the 1912 Summer Olympics.

Early life Garnett Merrill Wikoff was born on November 12, 1886, in Thornville, Ohio. He was the oldest of six children of Catharine and William Wikoff, a public school teacher. He attended North High School in Columbus and while there became friends with future Olympian Carl Cooke.

Athletic career After graduating from high school, Wikoff began attending Ohio State University (OSU) with Cooke. He was one of the best two-mile racers in the country, and broke the school's indoor and outdoor records for the event in 1910, and then repeatedly broke his own records the following year.

To have the money to attend college, Wikoff delivered newspapers. He competed against Mauritz Carlsson (Sweden), Ernest Glover (Great Britain), Cyril Porter (Great Britain), Mikhail Nikolsky (Russian Empire), and Aarne Lindholm (Finland), but was "not in good condition," and partway through started "going lame" until by the 3500 metre point could no longer participate. He also officiated track meets and coached track at Ohio State for a time. He served in the United States Army Corps of Engineers during World War I