Pat Boot

Who was Pat Boot?

Vernon Patrick "Pat" Boot was a New Zealand middle distance runner from Canterbury, who represented New Zealand at the 1936 Summer Olympics at Berlin and at the 1938 British Empire Games at Sydney.

At the 1936 Summer Olympics he ran in the 800 metre event, finishing last in the semi-final. He had tendon problems from running on the decks of the Wanganella, and withdrew from the fourth heat of the 1500 meters.

At the 1938 British Empire Games he won a gold in the 880 yards with a tremendous sprint 70 yards from the end, and a bronze in the mile.

He was born at Kaikoura and educated at Ashburton High School, Timaru Boys' High School and Lincoln University, where he trained for a diploma in agriculture. In World War II he was commissioned in the New Zealand Army and served overseas in the Middle East. He was an instructor in agriculture at Gisborne when he died aged 32 when under anaesthesia for dental treatment.