John Sherwood

John Sherwood (4 June 1945 – 19 August 2025) was a British athlete who competed at three Olympic Games.

Athletics career Sherwood won the bronze medal in the Olympic Games in Mexico City in 1968 for the 400 m hurdles. His time was 49.03 seconds, and he was third behind fellow British athlete David Hemery, who took gold, and German Gerhard Hennige (silver). The commentator, David Coleman, who in his great excitement after Hemery won, made the rather unfortunate remark "who cares who's third - it doesn't matter!" It was an early example of so-called Colemanballs.

Sherwood also won a silver medal in the European Athletics Championships in 1969 and a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games in 1970. He also represented England in the 400 metres hurdles event, at the 1966 Commonwealth Games and the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Sherwood was a four-time British 440y/400m hurdles champion after winning the British AAA Championships titles at the 1966 AAA Championships, 1967 AAA Championships, 1969 AAA Championships and 1971 AAA Championships.

He was a regular on the popular BBC sports programme The Superstars in the '70s and early '80s and in 1980 came 2nd in the World Superstars Final in America. He had to turn professional to compete in the 100 metres of the 1980 UK grand final of the programme, as he would not have been able to keep his amateur status if he competed. He had the option not to run but chose to.

Personal life and death Sherwood studied at the Loughborough College of Education and was married to Sheila Sherwood, who won a silver medal at the same Olympics in the long jump.