The Welsh Coal Miner who became a Nurse and won a Silver Medal in the 1948 London Olympics Marathon

Hat tip to Captain Swing for this link about Thomas Richards (1910-1995).  Thomas started life as a Coal miner in Wales but became a nurse. He won the Marathon Silver medal during the 1948 London Olympics - 16 seconds behind the winner.

He was a member of COHSE which is one of the trade unions that merged to form UNISON and worked at Tooting Bec
Mental Hospital in London.

He ran the marathon in 2 hours and 35 minutes. Which is probably going to be twice as fast as my attempt at the 2012 London Marathon next Sunday (if I am lucky). No other Brit has come as close as Tom to winning Gold for the Marathon at the Olympics.

The world record for the marathon is now an incredible 2 hours and 3 minutes!