1937 – Death of Arthur Wint, Jamaica’s First Olympic Gold Medalist

Arthur Wint was born on June 3, 1920, in Plowden, Jamaica. He would go on to become the first Jamaican to win an Olympic gold medal. Wint was a standout track athlete and also trained as a pilot during World War II. At the 1948 London Olympics, he won gold in the 400 meters and silver in the 800 meters, marking Jamaica’s arrival on the global sports stage. Wint later added a relay gold at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Beyond athletics, he became a medical doctor and Jamaican diplomat, earning the nickname “The Flying Doctor.” His achievements helped lay the foundation for Jamaica’s later dominance in sprinting and became a symbol of Black excellence on and off the field. His birthday, June 3, is remembered in Jamaica as the beginning of a national icon\’s legacy.