Len Taunyane
Taunyane in 1904 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
Nickname | Len Tau |
| Sport | |
| Country | Orange River Colony |
| Sport | Track and field |
Event | Marathon |
Len Taunyane ([lɪn tauˈɲanɪ] fl. 1880s – after 1904) was a track and field athlete from the Orange River Colony who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics in the Men's marathon, and was therefore one of the first two black Africans to participate in the modern Olympic Games.[1]
Early life
Taunyane was a member of the Tswana people and a veteran of the Second Boer War, having served as a dispatch runner, although there are conflicting reports on which side he served. He travelled to the United States in 1904 to appear in the Boer War Exhibition at the St Louis World's Fair. There he participated in twice-daily re-enactments of the Battle of Colenso and the Battle of Paardeberg.[2]
1904 Marathon
The 1904 Marathon was a largely informal affair, run on an unsuitable course and over roads so dusty that it caused many of the athletes to collapse. Taunyane entered the race at the last minute, as a Tswana from the Orange River Colony. His name was mispronounced by some officials.[3]
Taunyane likely ran barefoot, and he finished in ninth place out of a field of 32 and 14 finishers.[4]
References
- ^ "Len Taunyane". Olympedia. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ O'Toole, Sean. "The Athletes". CityScapes. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
- ^ McLachlan, Sean (2013). It Happened in Missouri. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 88.
- ^ "Len Taunyane Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
External links
- Media related to Len Taunyane at Wikimedia Commons
- Len Taunyane at World Athletics
- Len Taunyane at Olympics.com
- Len Taunyane at Olympedia