Tom Longboat, a member of the Onondaga First Nation, was always fast. Born in 1887, he learned to run as a young boy on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Canada. He ran long distances every day to get to school, work, or to visit his family and friends.
People couldn't believe how fast Tom could run. He once gave his brother a 30 minute head start driving a horse and buggy to a town 25 miles away. Tom ran and arrived first!
In 1905, at the age of 18, Tom Longboat began competing in international marathons and major sporting events, including the Olympics. He won the Boston Marathon in 1907 with a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 24 seconds, breaking the previous record by five minutes. The Boston newspaper said he was "the most marvelous runner who has sped over our roads."
Running was sometimes the easiest part of his life. As an Aboriginal athlete, life was hard. Other people tried to control how he trained and where he raced. But he chose to rely on his own traditions, mind and body and never backed down.
The spirit of Tom Longboat lives on. Every year, the most outstanding Aboriginal athlete in Canada is recognized with the Tom Longboat award.
Source: worksheetsplus.com/Reading/3rdReadingSoortsLongboat.html Who is Tom Longboat?
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