Robert Cloughen

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Robert Cloughen (January 26, 1889 – August 7, 1930) was an American track athlete and a member of the Irish American Athletic Club. He competed for the United States at the 1908 London Olympics, where he won a silver medal in the 200 meters. In the 200 meters final he finished in 22.6 seconds, narrowly behind Robert Kerr after a strong finish; his earlier runs included a 23.4-second heat and a 22.6-second semifinal. Cloughen also ran the 100 meters in 1908, winning his first-round heat in 11.0 seconds but did not start in the semifinal.

In 1909 he set a world record for the 130 yards with 12.8 seconds. In 1910 he broke the world record for the 110-yard dash with 10.8 seconds at the Tailtin Games in Celtic Park, Queens, New York. Later in his career, he became a track coach, first at the University of Vermont in 1922 and then at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn from 1926 to 1930. He died in August 1930 while training for an Olympic comeback.

Personal and education: Cloughen was born in The Bronx, New York. His father, John Cloughen, was Manhattan’s Borough President in 1909 and New York City’s Commissioner of Public Works. He attended Morris High School in the Bronx, where he played football, baseball, and basketball and served as Treasurer of the Athletic Association. He also studied at Fordham University, New York University, and the Savage School of Physical Education.