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John Sherwood was born in Selby, has been to Loughborough celebrated sporting College of Education, and was teaching at Intake when he went to the Mexico Olympics in 1968 and took Bronze medal behind gold-winner fellow Brit David Hemery.

John's wife Shiela narrowly missed gold in the long jump, and they proved the inspiration to Sebastien Coe.

Seb recently said: "When I was 12 years old I was marched into a large school hall with my classmates and we watched grainy pictures from the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games," he told the delegates.

"Two athletes from our home town were competing. John Sherwood won a bronze medal in the 400m hurdles. His wife Sheila just narrowly missed gold in the long jump. By the time I was back in my classroom, I knew what I wanted to do - and what I wanted to be. Thirty-five years on, I stand before you with those memories still fresh. Still inspired by this great movement."

The commentator, David Coleman, who in his great excitement after Hemery won, made the rather unfortunate remark "who cares who's third - it doesn't matter!" It was an early example of Colemanballs - a successful book series of his quotes.

John also won a silver medal in the European Athletics Championships in 1969 and a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games in 1970.

John is the father of tennis player David Sherwood, a member of the British Davis Cup team. He is the brother of Steve Sherwood, the former Chelsea and Watford football goalkeeper.

John went on to teach at Firth Park Community Arts College, Sheffield for the remainder of his career, retiring in 2006.

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