George Terence TRAYNOR

The runner-up in the long jump at the 1934 Inter-Counties Championship, George Traynor was a member of the Middlesex team that won the team title. He was the Midlesex Champion in 1936 and, following his rather unexpected victory in the long jump at that year’s AAA Championships, when he beat William Breach by nearly six inches, he was selected for the Olympics. It was the only time Traynor ever made the AAA final and it was his only major title. At the Berlin Olympics, Traynor and his fellow Briton Edward Boyce both failed to qualify for the final after failing to reach the 23-foot (7.01) qualifying mark. At the White City shortly after the Olympics, Traynor was in the British Empire team beaten by the USA. He attempted to retain his AAA title in 1937 but sprained an ankle early in the competition and had to withdraw, but surely would have offered little or no challenge to Luz Long’s Championship record leap of 24-6 ¾ (7.48). Traynor did, however, defend his Middlesex title in 1937 when he also won the Hop, Step and Jump title.

Personal Bests: LJ – 7.24 (23-9) (1937).