Thread by @JNETTEKWAKYE, Today would’ve been the first day of action in Tokyo. So for [...]

Today would’ve been the first day of action in Tokyo. So for everyday of what would’ve been the games, I’m going to be telling you all about amazing black British Olympians who paved the way in this thread

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙌🏾" title="Raising hands (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Raising hands (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)">

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Rotes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Herz">

1. John ‘Jack’ London (1905-1966) Born in Guyana - 100m silver medalist from the 1928 Amsterdam games. First Black British athlete to win a medal at an Olympics.

2. Paul Marshall (1961-2009) Born in Ghana. 4x100m medley relay bronze in swimming

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥉" title="Bronzemedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Bronzemedaille">at the Moscow 1980 Olympics. First Black British swimmer to compete for Team GB.

2. Paul Marshall (1961-2009) Born in Ghana. 4x100m medley relay bronze in swimminghttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

at the Moscow 1980 Olympics. First Black British swimmer to compete for Team GB." title="2. Paul Marshall (1961-2009) Born in Ghana. 4x100m medley relay bronze in swimminghttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥉" title="Bronzemedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Bronzemedaille">at the Moscow 1980 Olympics. First Black British swimmer to compete for Team GB." class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>

3. Sonia Lannaman b.1956 Born in Birmingham. 4x100m relay bronze

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥉" title="Bronzemedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Bronzemedaille">at the Moscow 1980 Olympics. One of the fastest school girls ever. Her first Olympics was in 1972. She was also the 1978 Commonwealth 100m champion.

3. Sonia Lannaman b.1956 Born in Birmingham. 4x100m relay bronze https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

at the Moscow 1980 Olympics. One of the fastest school girls ever. Her first Olympics was in 1972. She was also the 1978 Commonwealth 100m champion." title="3. Sonia Lannaman b.1956 Born in Birmingham. 4x100m relay bronze https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥉" title="Bronzemedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Bronzemedaille">at the Moscow 1980 Olympics. One of the fastest school girls ever. Her first Olympics was in 1972. She was also the 1978 Commonwealth 100m champion.">

4. Prince Adegboyega Folaranmi Adedoyin (MD)

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👑" title="Krone" aria-label="Emoji: Krone"> (1922-2014) Born in Nigeria.
Son of a local King. Competed in high jump and long jump at the London 1948 Olympics. Medicine graduate.

4. Prince Adegboyega Folaranmi Adedoyin (MD) https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

(1922-2014) Born in Nigeria. Son of a local King. Competed in high jump and long jump at the London 1948 Olympics. Medicine graduate." title="4. Prince Adegboyega Folaranmi Adedoyin (MD) https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👑" title="Krone" aria-label="Emoji: Krone"> (1922-2014) Born in Nigeria. Son of a local King. Competed in high jump and long jump at the London 1948 Olympics. Medicine graduate.">

5. McDonald Bailey (1920-2013) Born in Trinidad. A Bronze Medalist over 100m

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥉" title="Bronzemedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Bronzemedaille">from the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. His first games were in London 1948.
He retired from athletics to become a journalist working for BBC at the Rome games of 1960. (Sounds familiar)

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😅" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit offenem Mund und Angstschweiß" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit offenem Mund und Angstschweiß">

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Rotes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Herz">

5. McDonald Bailey (1920-2013) Born in Trinidad. A Bronze Medalist over 100m https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

from the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. His first games were in London 1948. He retired from athletics to become a journalist working for BBC at the Rome games of 1960. (Sounds familiar) https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😅" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit offenem Mund und Angstschweiß" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit offenem Mund und Angstschweiß">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Rotes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Herz">" title="5. McDonald Bailey (1920-2013) Born in Trinidad. A Bronze Medalist over 100m https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥉" title="Bronzemedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Bronzemedaille">from the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. His first games were in London 1948. He retired from athletics to become a journalist working for BBC at the Rome games of 1960. (Sounds familiar) https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😅" title="Lächelndes Gesicht mit offenem Mund und Angstschweiß" aria-label="Emoji: Lächelndes Gesicht mit offenem Mund und Angstschweiß">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Rotes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Herz">">

6. Andrea Lynch b.1952 in Barbados.
Two-time Olympian Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976. 100m Olympic finalist being her best performance at an Olympic Games. Click for more about her wonderful kids coaching programmes

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Rotes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Herz"> http://andrealynchmbe.co.uk/coaching/ ">https://andrealynchmbe.co.uk/coaching/...

6. Andrea Lynch b.1952 in Barbados. Two-time Olympian Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976. 100m Olympic finalist being her best performance at an Olympic Games. Click for more about her wonderful kids coaching programmes https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

https://andrealynchmbe.co.uk/coaching/..." title="6. Andrea Lynch b.1952 in Barbados. Two-time Olympian Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976. 100m Olympic finalist being her best performance at an Olympic Games. Click for more about her wonderful kids coaching programmes https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Rotes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Herz"> https://andrealynchmbe.co.uk/coaching/...">

7. Daley Thompson. b.1958 in London. Two time Gold Olympic medalist in the Decathlon in 1980 and 1984. Arguably one the greatest British Olympians of all time. Happy Belated birthday @Daley_thompson

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙌🏾" title="Raising hands (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Raising hands (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)">

7. Daley Thompson. b.1958 in London. Two time Gold Olympic medalist in the Decathlon in 1980 and 1984. Arguably one the greatest British Olympians of all time. Happy Belated birthday @Daley_thompson https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

" title="7. Daley Thompson. b.1958 in London. Two time Gold Olympic medalist in the Decathlon in 1980 and 1984. Arguably one the greatest British Olympians of all time. Happy Belated birthday @Daley_thompson https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙌🏾" title="Raising hands (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)" aria-label="Emoji: Raising hands (durchschnittlich dunkler Hautton)">">

8. Percy Lewis. (1928-2019) Born in Trinidad. Competed for GB at the 1952 Helsinki games. Unsuccessful in his Olympic campaign - but had mixed fortunes throughout his amateur career. Like so many black Brits of his era - he came via the Armed Forces. https://youtu.be/qK4wudDQJWw ">https://youtu.be/qK4wudDQJ...

9. Tessa Sanderson. b. 1956 in Jamaica. A SIX time Olympian from 1976-1996. Winning Olympic gold in Javelin in 1984. Also three time commonwealth champion!

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥇" title="Goldmedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Goldmedaille">

9. Tessa Sanderson. b. 1956 in Jamaica. A SIX time Olympian from 1976-1996. Winning Olympic gold in Javelin in 1984. Also three time commonwealth champion! https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥇" title="Goldmedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Goldmedaille">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥇" title="Goldmedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Goldmedaille">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥇" title="Goldmedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Goldmedaille">" title="9. Tessa Sanderson. b. 1956 in Jamaica. A SIX time Olympian from 1976-1996. Winning Olympic gold in Javelin in 1984. Also three time commonwealth champion! https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥇" title="Goldmedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Goldmedaille">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥇" title="Goldmedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Goldmedaille">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥇" title="Goldmedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Goldmedaille">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥇" title="Goldmedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Goldmedaille">">

10. Alan Tottoh (1944-2013) Born in Manchester. Earned his 1968 Olympic spot after winning the ABA welterweight British title that same year. Born to a Nigerian Father and English Mother. He became pro after the games then turned to coaching in Manchester.

11. Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill. b. 1986 in Sheffield. To be honest she needs no introduction

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤣" title="Lachend auf dem Boden rollen" aria-label="Emoji: Lachend auf dem Boden rollen"> but IMO she is THE Olympic gold medalist of our generation at London 2012. It’s the 8 year anniversary of Super Saturday today. Also three-time world champion. Retired in 2016.

11. Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill. b. 1986 in Sheffield. To be honest she needs no introduction https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

but IMO she is THE Olympic gold medalist of our generation at London 2012. It’s the 8 year anniversary of Super Saturday today. Also three-time world champion. Retired in 2016." title="11. Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill. b. 1986 in Sheffield. To be honest she needs no introduction https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤣" title="Lachend auf dem Boden rollen" aria-label="Emoji: Lachend auf dem Boden rollen"> but IMO she is THE Olympic gold medalist of our generation at London 2012. It’s the 8 year anniversary of Super Saturday today. Also three-time world champion. Retired in 2016." class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>

12. Harry Edward. (1895-1973) Born in Germany. THE first Black British athlete to compete and win medals for Great Britain at the 1920 Games in Antwerp.
Bronze in the 100m and 200m. Also a prisoner of war. Great read here about his life https://www.amistadresearchcenter.org/post/2017/09/25/harry-edward-an-olympian-for-social-change">https://www.amistadresearchcenter.org/post/2017...

And thank you @OlympicStatman for pointing this out to me.

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Rotes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Herz"> As Jack London is so widely reported as the first in 1928. It’s so important facts are available for people to see to prevent erasure and misinformation. Harry Edward’s story is incredible.

Latest Threads Unrolled: