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Paul Henry Pilgrim (October 26, 1883 – January 8, 1958) was an American athlete who won three gold medals at the 1904 and 1906 Summer Olympics. At the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, Pilgrim competed in the 400 metre and 800 metre races, without success. He finished sixth in the four mile team run, aiding the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) to win the gold medal. In the 1906 Summer Olympics at Athens, Pilgrim was an 11th-hour addition to the team. He travelled to Athens on his own, missing the wave that washed over the deck of the American team's ship in Gibraltar. The wave injured about half-dozen athletes aboard the deck, including one of the favorites in the 400 metres, Harry Hillman. Pilgrim advanced to the final in the 400 metres, and was third before the final straight. On that stretch, he passed Wyndham Halswelle of Great Britain and Nigel Barker of Australia to win in time of 53.2 seconds. In the 800 metres, Pilgrim passed James Lightbody on the final lap and won by 2 feet. At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London Pilgrim competed in the 400 metres. He did not advance to the semifinals. Following his wins at the Athens Games, he never won a major competition again. He worked the rest of his career at NYAC, where one of his medals is on display.
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