Harold Maurice Abrahams
Harold Maurice Abrahams is a noted contributor to Encyclopaedia Britannica online. Read Britannica's biography of Harold Maurice Abrahams
Broadcaster and journalist. Chairman, British Amateur Athletic Board. Olympic Gold Medalist (100-metre dash), whose experiences at the 1924 Olympics provided the subject of the 1981 film Chariots of Fire, which emphasized Abrahams’ Judaism and portrayed his victory as a personal triumph over anti-Semitism. Author of The Olympic Games, 1896-1956.
Primary Contributions (1)
Olympic Games, athletic festival that originated in ancient Greece and was revived in the late 19th century. Before the 1970s the Games were officially limited to competitors with amateur status, but in the 1980s many events were opened to professional athletes. Currently, the Games are open to…
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Publications (1)
Running with Fire The True Story of Harold Abrahams (2012)
Immortalised in the film Chariots of Fire, Harold Abrahams remains one of the all-time great British Olympians, but in many ways his true story is even more dramatic and moving than as portrayed on the big screen. Now, in this powerful and painstakingly researched biography, Mark Ryan vividly recounts the sprinter's struggles and triumphs, his private heartbreaks and his drive to win. He shows Abrahams' courage in the face of intense competition and prejudice, culminating in the BBC's extreme reluctance...
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