David Robertson

David Robertson was one of three brothers who all competed at the Olympics. Jack was, like David, a cyclist and competed at the 1900 Paris Games. Arthur, who competed with David in 1908, was a track athlete and won a gold and silver medal.

David started racing in 1903, and was soon talked of as being a future champion and, indeed, he was the local one-, 10-, 20- and 25-mile champion in 1904. He broke his collarbone attempting to retain the mile title in 1905, but turned out later that same day to defend, and successfully retain, his 10-mile title. Racing mostly in his local area, close to his Peterborough home, Robertson travelled to Birmingham for the NCU 50-mile Championship in 1907 and came second, by six inches, to Leon Meredith. The following month, Robertson made a rare trip to London to take part in the paced 25-mile race at the NCU Championships at Crystal Palace, and turned the tables on Meredith, winning by a few inches. At the London Olympics in 1908, both Robertson and Meredith competed in the 100km race, with Robertson finishing seventh and Meredith not finishing.