I Just Ran: Percy Williams, World’s Fastest Human
Support Canada's History in other ways (more)
by Samuel Hawley
Ronsdale Press, Vancouver, 2011
338 pp., illus., $23.95 paperback
I Just Ran is the compelling story of Canadian runner Percy Williams, who triumphed at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games, earning gold medals in both the 100-metre and 200-metre races.
Author Samuel Hawley is clear from the book’s first evocative pages that Williams was a modest, introverted, and shy young man who did not want the fame, notoriety, or media attention that accompanied his success. Hawley writes that Williams even preferred other activities to running: rugby, tennis, shooting targets, and being a cadet. But running came naturally to him and was an undeniable gift.
I Just Ran is a classic story of an unwilling hero’s journey. The prose is beautiful and the book includes photographs of Williams, his family, and the coach who nurtured and supported his athletic career.
This book isn’t just for sports fans or history buffs; its story of personal growth and development, as both an Olympic athlete and a human being, will appeal to anyone.
— Norah Myers (Read bio)
Norah Myers is a student and recently completed an internship at Canada's History Society.