Percy Williams

Percy Alfred Williams

Early life Williams was the only child of Frederick Williams, who was originally from England, and Charlotte Rhodes, who hailed from St. John's, Newfoundland. At the age of 15, Williams suffered from rheumatic fever and was advised to avoid strenuous physical activities. However, as his high school required participation in athletic competitions, he started training in sprint in 1924 and by 1927 became a local champion.

Olympic competition Williams hoisted aloft by Phil Edwards (left) and Brant Little after winning the 100 metres at the 1928 Olympics. At the 1928 Olympic trials, Williams won the 100 and 200 metres races, equaling the Olympic 100 metres record of 10.6 seconds.

To earn his travel ticket for the trials, Williams and his volunteer coach, Bob Granger, worked as waiters and dishwashers in a railroad dining car, and Vancouver track fans raised the money to pay Granger's transatlantic ship passage to the 1928 Olympics. Williams was also part of the Canadian team which was disqualified in the final of the 4 × 100 metre relay contest. Williams was met off the train by Mayor L. D. Taylor and Premier Simon Fraser Tolmie. They bundled him and Granger into cars and paraded them through the confetti-filled city. The event was broadcast live by reporters with microphones stationed along the route. At the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 100 metre event. With the Canadian team he finished fourth in the 4 × 100 metre relay competition. Subsequently, Williams stopped running and became an insurance agent.

In 1971, after his former mentor's death, Williams was asked how much credit was due to Granger for his Olympic success. "Offhand, I'd say 100 percent," Williams answered.

In later years, Williams grew bitter about his sporting experiences, culminating in being the only living Canadian Olympic gold medalist who refused the federal government's invitation to attend the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.

In 1979, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Williams, who never married, lived with his mother, Dot, until her death in 1980, at the age of 92. He was interred at Masonic Cemetery of British Columbia, Burnaby, Canada.

Awards and recognition A close up of the statue of Williams which is located outside BC Place stadium in Vancouver. In 1950, Williams was proclaimed by a Canadian press poll as Canada's greatest track athlete of the first half of the century, which was later updated in 1972 to declare him Canada's all-time greatest Olympic athlete.

Percy Williams Junior Public School located in Toronto, Ontario, is named after Williams.

In 1996, Canada Post released a postage stamp of Percy Williams as part of its "Sporting Heroes" series.

Outside the BC Sports Hall of Fame at BC Place is a life-sized statue of Williams, crouched in a sprinter's stance.

Competition record