Jenny Thompson

Jean Thompson was the fifth of seven children born in Toronto to David and Margaret Thompson. They eventually moved to Penetanguishene, Ontario but her life was disrupted in 1924 when her mother was killed in a car accident. When she entered Penetang High School in 1925, the school’s football and track coach, Lucien Wendling, encouraged her to participate in athletics. She would later win the 1928 Canadian Championship in the 800 metres. After the Amsterdam Olympics, she returned to Toronto and in the 1929 Ontario Championships she won the shot put, discus throw, and long jump. She also attended business school and then joined a brokerage firm. After her marriage, she settled in Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec.

Personal Best: 800 – 2:21.4 (1928).