About Peter O'Connor (athlete)
Peter O'Connor (24 October 1872 – 9 November 1957) was an Irish track and field athlete who set a long-standing world record for the long jump and won two Olympic medals in the 1906 Intercalated Games. == Early career == Born in Millom, Cumberland, England, on 24 October 1872, O'Connor grew up in Wicklow, County Wicklow, Ireland. He joined the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in 1896. In 1899, he won All-Ireland medals in long jump, high jump and hop, step and jump (triple jump). Over the next ten years he consistently beat British athletes in international competitions: the (British) Amateur Athletic Association invited him to represent Britain in the Olympic Games in 1900, but he refused, as he only wished to represent Ireland. O'Connor won six consecutive AAA Championships long jump titles from 1901 to 1906 and two long jump titles from 1903 and 1904. == World record == As of June 1900, the world record for the long jump was held by Myer Prinstein of Syracuse University, at 24 ft 7¼ins (~7.50m). In 1900 and 1901, competing with the Irish Amateur Athletic Association (IAAA), a rival association to the GAA, O'Connor set several unofficial world records in the long jump. He set an officially recognised world record of 24 ft 9ins (~7.54m) at the Royal Dublin Society's grounds in Dublin on 27 May 1901. On 5 August 1901 he jumped 24 ft 11¾ins (7.61m) in Dublin.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.