Jack Lovelock : athlete and doctor / Graeme Woodfield.

Reprinted 2007.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 214-217) and index.

Pt. 1. Life in New Zealand. Family history. Primary school. Secondary school. A medical student in Dunedin / John Heslop -- Pt. 2. Life in England. Undergraduate life at Oxford University -- 1931-32. Olympic Games at Los Angeles -- 1932. Undergraduate activities at Oxford University -- 1933. Knee problems 1933-34 / Tony Hardy. Final year at Oxford University -- 1934. British Empire Games -- 1934. The "SMH" vaccine / Diana Martin. Medical student at St Mary's Hospital -- 1934-35. 1936 -- a special year. Olympic games at Berlin -- 1936. Visit to New Zealand -- 1936. Final year at St Mary's Hospital / 1937. A doctor's life -- 1938-40. Lovelock the sports journalist -- 1935-41. Aspects of physiology / Jack Sinclair. Lovelock's accidents -- 1940-41. Head injuries / Philip Wrightson. Eye problems / Harold Coop. Physical medicine and rehabilitation / Barrie Tait. An army career -- 1941-46. Courtship and marriage. Post-war hospital positions -- 1946-47 -- Pt. 3. Life in the United States. The Hospital for Special Surgery, New York -- 1948-49. Accident or suicide?. A psychiatric overview / Roger Culpan -- Commentary -- Remembering Lovelock.

Jack Lovelock remains one of New Zealand's greatest sportsmen, the diminutive figure in black who, 'running in a rapture', won the Olympic 1500m gold medal in world record time in front of Hitler in 1936. Despite his fame, Lovelock has been an enigmatic, elusive figure. This prompted fellow Timaru Boys' High School old boy Dr Graeme Woodfield to embark on a comprehensive study of Lovelock. Woodfield has examined the many facets of Lovelock athlete, doctor, journalist, soldier, family man and, drawing on the contributions of several specialists, completed what is virtually a forensic investigation of this famous New Zealander. Besides dealing with Lovelock's brilliant running and under-rated medical, military and journalistic contributions, Woodfield has written of the accidents that affected his life after 1940 and has dealt thoroughly with the theory that he committed suicide.