Wilfrid Kent Hughes
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games • Administrator |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Full name | Wilfrid Selwyn•Kent Hughes |
| Used name | Wilfrid•Kent Hughes |
| Born | 12 June 1895 in East Melbourne, Victoria (AUS) |
| Died | 30 July 1970 in Kew, Victoria (AUS) |
| Affiliations | University of Oxford, Oxford (GBR) |
| NOC |  Australia |
Biography
After fighting at Gallipoli, Wilfrid Kent Hughes went to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar in 1919. He represented Australia in the 110 hurdles at the 1920 Olympics and finished second in the 880 for Oxford vs. Cambridge in 1921. He also won a blue for lacrosse (1921-22) and reached the final of the AAA 440y hurdles for three successive years (1920-22), winning in 1922. On his return to Australia, he built a flourishing business empire and became a prominent politician, serving as a lower house member from 1949-1970, and a minister from 1951-1955. In World War II he won an MC before being interned by the Japanese and in 1956 he was knighted for his work as Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the Melbourne Olympic Games.
Personal Bests: 110H – unknown; 400H – 57.2 (1920).
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 Summer Olympics | Athletics | AUS |
Wilfrid Kent Hughes | |||
| 110 metres Hurdles, Men (Olympic) | 4 h1 r1/3 | |||||
| 400 metres Hurdles, Men (Olympic) | 5 h1 r2/3 |
Organization roles
| Role | Organization | Tenure | NOC | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Organizing Committee for the Games of the XVI Olympiad Melbourne 1956 | —1957 | AUS |
Wilfrid Kent Hughes |
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Were Awarded a Rhodes Scholarship (1915 Rhodes Scholar – Christ Church College)
- Listed in Olympians Who Were Members of National Legislatures (Member of Australian House of Representatives, Chisholm, from 10 December 1949 through 31 July 1970 (Liberal))