Derek James Neville Johnson (5 January 1933 – 30 August 2004) was a British track and field athlete. Early life Johnson was born in (East Ham) [London], and educated at East Ham Grammar School. He did his National Service in Egypt before going up to Lincoln College, Oxford, to read medicine in 1953. Whilst at Oxford. Athletics career He pursued an athletics career and represented England in the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, he won gold medals both in the 880 yards and the 4 x 440 yards relay. Johnson went on to win a silver medal in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, in the 800 metres and a bronze in the 4 x 400 metres relay. In 1958 he won a silver medal in the 4 x 440 yards relay in the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff. He was a leading light in the setting up of the "athletes' union", the International Athletes' Club, he led opposition to Margaret Thatcher's call for sportsmen to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Johnson competed for Woodford Green AC (now Woodford Green AC with Essex Ladies www.wgel.org.uk) where he was coached to his success by Ken Bone and was later awarded Life Membership. In the 1980s he also became a member of the Serpentine Running Club and ran several London Marathons. A great ally of David Bedford and a leading administrator in athletics. References 1933 births 2004 deaths Military personnel from Essex 20th-century British military personnel People from Chigwell English male sprinters English male middle-distance runners Olympic athletes of Great Britain Athletes (track and field) at the 1956 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain Athletes (track and field) at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England Alumni of Lincoln College, Oxford Medalists at the 1956 Summer Olympics Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field) Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field) 20th-century British people Medallists at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Medallists at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games