An Indian Triple jumper Henry Rebello, contended in independent India`s first Olympics participation which held in London in the year 1948. He was a genuine medal prospect. But his first leap in the final was damaged by an injury. In the year 1980, he retired as a Group Captain from the Indian Air Force.

The career of triple jumper Henry Rebello was very brief but magnificent one. As a child Rebello was not in particular keen on sports. All around his scholastic years he was a brilliant student rather. His family moved from Lucknow to Bangalore and he had to shift the school. He was admitted at the Baldwin Boys` High School. The Baldwin Boys` High School made it compulsory for the entire student to take part in sports. At the age of 16 years, Rebello took up athletics and used to participate in inter-school meets. He was then known as `Hop, Step and Jump`. His first introduction to the technique for his pet event took place with the American `flicker books` which showed top athletes of the time in action.

Only after two years at the age of 18, Henry won his first gold medal after taking up athletics at the 1946 All-India `Olympic` meet in Bangalore. By winning the National triple jump title in February 1948, he took the first step towards the Olympics. Every body was dumbfounding with a glimpse of the national record of 50 feet 2 inches (15.29 metres) at the All-India meet in Lucknow. Rebello was sure he would have crossed 51 feet provided the fact that it had not been raining, which made the ground wet and soft.

. This record of him gave him further chance to book a position, which in due course opened the way to the London Olympics. This record of Henry Rebello also happened to be the best mark of the year worldwide. That in a reflex manner made him a medal prospect. He was the only other jumper to come close in accomplishing this distance and the other one was Brazilian Adhemar Ferreira Da Silva.

Many experts, including the fabled Harold Abrahams pointed him out as one of the favorites for the gold. Thus the record of Henry Rebello made him the centre of attraction in London. At the meet held a fortnight before the Games, organised at Motspur Park for overseas athletes, his confidence level was rationalized. Just four-and-a-half inches less than the world record held by Japan`s Naoto Tajima, he showed an amazing 52 feet, one-and-a-half inches.

His next best jump was enough to beat George Avery of Australia, which is of 50 feet. It was more than two feet of George. His coach was Jim Metcalfe who also counted him among the favorites.

Later Rebello gave up competitive athletics. As Group Captain in the year 1980, he retired from the Air Force and was the first Director of the Sports Authority of India from 1984-88.