This article is about British athlete. For the fictional character portrayed by Gary Coleman, see
Diff'rent Strokes.
Brigadier-General Arnold Nugent Strode Strode-Jackson CBE DSO & Three Bars (April 5, 1891 - November 13, 1972) was a British athlete, winner of 1500m at the 1912 Summer Olympics, as well as a British Army officer and barrister. Arnold Jackson entered Brasenose College, Oxford in 1910. He rowed and played football and hockey for the College, being Captain of the Hockey Team. He won the mile race for Oxford against Cambridge three times and was President of the Oxford University Athletic Club. At Stockholm, American hopes were high to win a gold in 1500 m, as the USA dominated miling at that point, and seven of the runners in the final were from the USA. The race started at a modest 65 second pace, then Norman Taber from USA took the lead and increased the pace. At the bell, Abel Kiviat, a world record holder in 1500 m from USA, came first, followed by Taber and John Paul Jones, a world record holder in the mile from USA. On the last turn, Mel Sheppard and Jackson also joined the crowd on his heels, with Sweden's Ernst Wide closing fast. With 50 yards left, Jackson came even with Kiviat and Taber, as Jones and Wide started to fade. Jackson summoned one last burst and captured the gold in 3:56.8. Kiviat and Taber both clocked 3:56.9, and the photo had to be reviewed before officials handed the silver to Kiviat. During the First World War Jackson served in the King's Royal Rifle Corps, becoming the youngest Brigadier-General in the British Army and being awarded the Distinguished Service Order with three bars. The war put an end to his sporting career, for he was wounded three times and left permanently lame. He went on to be a member of the Olympic Council and worked in industry and as a Justice of the Peace in the United States for many years, returning to Oxford to live in the 1960s.
