Former Canadian world record holder dies at 90

The Canadian athletics community mourns the loss of Canadian sprint pioneer and Olympian Jack Parrington, who reportedly died peacefully at home in Winnipeg with his family by his side on March 5. He was 90. 

Parrington was born in Winnipeg on Oct. 24, 1933, but grew up in Toronto, where he became a multisport athlete and earned a track and field scholarship to the University of Houston. After finishing his business degree, Parrinton pursued becoming a professional sprinter. 

Jack Parrington was the fastest man in the world – or one of them. He tied the world record for the 100 meter at 10.2 in 1956 and then competed in the Olympics in Melbourne. He was a teacher here and a founder of the Optimist Track Club #RIP @WinnipegNews https://t.co/Xe7azSFcpW pic.twitter.com/3CmpXZOLNI

— Kevin Rollason (@KevinRollason) March 17, 2024

In 1956, he tied the world record for 100 metres, running 10.2 seconds, which earned him a spot on the Canadian team at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. At the Olympics, he competed in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. Parrington was the second Canadian to hold the world record for 100m (the first being the late Percy Williams, who ran 10.3 seconds in 1930).

Parrington held the Canadian 100m record for four years, until Harry Jerome broke his mark in 1960. 

Oldest Olympians is saddened to learn that Jack Parrington, born October 24, 1933, who represented Canada in three track events at the 1956 Melbourne Games, died March 5 at the age of 90.https://t.co/eTaA8atpd4 pic.twitter.com/VQRMqDe8c4

— Oldest Olympians (@OldestOlympians) March 19, 2024

After he retired from athletics, Parrington began working as a teacher and principal in Winnipeg’s Assiniboine South School Division. He was also one of the founders of the Assiniboine (Winnipeg) Optimist Athletics, which is one of the most historic and prominent athletics clubs in Manitoba, with alumni like former Canadian 1,500m Olympian Nicole Sifuentes and Erin Teschuk, who most recently represented Canada in the 5,000m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

A celebration of life will held on Thursday, April 4, at 2:00 p.m. at Chapel Lawn Funeral Home and Cemetery in Winnipeg. Instead of flowers, the family requested donations to be made in Parrington’s memory to Winnipeg Optimist Athletics.