Bob Hutchison (2007)
Judging by how well his high school athletic career went, it
would've been a solid bet that Bob Hutchison would go on to bigger
and better things in sport. A prominent rugby, soccer, and track
athlete at Oak Bay High, Hutchison proved virtually unbeatable at
school track meets in both sprint events and the broad jump. A sign
of things ahead came when he narrowly missed going to the 1948
Olympic trials, despite having won the provincial 100-yard title
and, also being part of the "Flying Y" team that won the 4x110
relay. Hutchison continued to perform well when he became part of
the University of Washington team, setting the B.C. 220-yard
record, and running the 100 in 9.7 seconds at the 1952 Summer
Olympics trials. That earned an invite to the nationals in
Hamilton. With a slim chance to land the one remaining spot on the
Olympic team, he made the most of his opportunity. Hutch placed
second in the 100, and third in a 200 photo-finish, to earn a trip
to Helsinki. He advanced to the 2nd round in each event and
competed in the 4x100 relay, leaving Finland with no medals but
with plenty of high-level experience. The future judge later passed
on his expertise while coaching numerous young "Flying Y" athletes.