Mighty Jerome

The greatest comeback in track and field history

In 1959, at just nineteen years of age, Harry Jerome was Canada's most promising track and field star, and was on his way to the Olympics in Rome. By 1962, after suffering a gruesome leg injury, there was every reason to think that his racing days were over. But Jerome was not just a champion on the track; he was doubly determined off it. And so began his climb to what his coach, the legendary Bill Bowerman, called "the greatest comeback in track and field history." Through years of unparalleled political turbulence, personal challenge and racial conflict, Harry Jerome kept his head down and ran, displaying a strength of character and willful perseverance every bit as impressive as his record-setting athleticism.