Ed Archibald was an athlete in Pole Vault. Born in 1884 in Ontario, there was not much information about his early life. In 1905, he achieved his first major record at the University of Toronto, vaulting 3.10m and a world record of 3.78m He also competed in shot put and gymnastics, hammer throw, and javelin.
in 1908, Archibald went to the London Olympics and was the flag bearer in the Parade of Nations. During these Olympics, he got Canada’s first and even to this day only medal in pole vault with a jump of 3.58m!
In World War I, he served as director of Recreation Sports and Social Work in the Canadian Army. Between the wars, he worked as sports journalist and was the president of the Ottawa and District Hockey Association. In World War II, he was a member of Canadian YMCA War services staff.
In 1979, he was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame.
Fun fact: Archibald’s medals went on sale on eBay.