Norman Gilbert Pritchard was also known as Norman Trevor. He was born on 23rd June in the year 1875. This Indian athlete went on to star in Hollywood and Broadway. He was of British descent and moved to England permanently in the year 1905. He died on 31st October in the year 1929. In
Calcutta, Pritchard was born to George Petersen Pritchard and Helen Maynard Pritchard.
Pritchard has been regarded as the first Indian athlete to become a participant in the Olympic Games. He has also bagged the honor to be also the first Indian and first Asian to win an Olympic medal. In the 1900 Summer Olympics, he has won two silver medals in Paris, France. Behind John Tewksbury of the United States, he came second in the 200 meters and second in the 200 meters hurdles. In the second heat of the 200 metre hurdles, Pritchard set a world record which was ameliorated by Kraenzlein in the final. He arrived at the final of the 110m hurdles but failed to finish. He has also participated in 60m and 100m sprint where he also failed to qualify for the final.
In the historical records section of the IAAF published official track and field statistics for the 2004 Summer Olympics, Pritchard was listed as having contended for Great Britain in 1900. The official track and field statistics was published in the year 2005. Olympic historians after extensive research has shown that Pritchard was chosen to represent Great Britain after competing in the British AAA championship, which was held in June 1900.
For seven consecutive years from 1894 to 1900, Pritchard has won the Bengal province 100 yards sprint title and set a meet record in 1898-99. The 440 yards run and the 120 yards hurdles are also won by him. He has studied at the St Xaviers College, Calcutta, For Saint Xavier`s against Sovabazar in July 1897, he is credited with the first hat-trick in an open football tournament in India. From 1900 to 1902, he has served as Secretary of the Indian Football Association. In the year 1905, he moved permanently to England. Later he moved to the United States where he became a silent movie actor under the screen name Norman Trevor. Hollywood legends like Ronald Colman in movies like Beau Geste (1926) and Tonight at Twelve (1929) he acted alongside.
He died in Los Angeles of a brain sickness. He has won silver medal at the Olympic tournament held in the year 1900 in both the category 200 mtr hurdle and 200 mtr.