The Veterans' Big Presence at the Antwerp Olympics

Joseph Guillemot (1899–1975), French winner of the 5,000-meter race, possibly best embodied the transition from war to sports for the athletes at Antwerp. Born in Le Dorat, France, Joseph Guillemot's lungs were severely damaged by mustard gas when he fought in World War I. Also, his heart was located on the right side of his chest. Despite this, Guillemot, an athlete of small stature (5'2", 118 lbs.), but with extraordinary vital capacity, won his regiment's cross-country championships.

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In the next year, Guillemot won the French military championship, followed by his first national championship title in the 5,000-meter race in 1920. That qualified him for the Olympic Games. In Antwerp, the main favorite was Paavo Nurmi. In the 5,000-meters final, Nurmi devised a bold strategy in order to exhaust the dangerous Swedes Eric Backman and Runar Falk in the first part of the course. After three laps, Nurmi took the lead and built speed, with only Guillemot following doggedly. Halfway around, Guillemot still refused to yield, and Nurmi began to lose heart. On the final curve, Guillemot moved to pass Nurmi on the outside. Unaccustomed to final-stretch sprinting, Nurmi gave up completely and jogged to the finish line four seconds after Guillemot had broken the tape for the gold medal.

The 10,000-meters final was brought forward by almost three hours by the request of King Albert. Guillemot heard this after finishing a very large lunch. Fighting stomach cramps and shoes that were two sizes too big (his own shoes had been stolen), Guillemot had to be satisfied with the 10,000-meter silver.

Joseph Guillemot Receiving the Congratulations of
King Albert

After the Olympics, Guillemot won the International Cross-Country Championships in 1922 individually and led the French team to first place in 1922 and 1926. He won the French Nationals in 5,000 meters on three occasions but missed the next Olympics due to the disagreements with the French Athletics Union. He also held two world records: 2,000-meter (5:34.8) and 3,000-meter (8:42.2). Joseph Guillemot, a pack-a-day cigarette smoker, died in Paris at the age of 75.

Source: St. Mihiel Trip-Wire, October 2020