I consider myself someone fascinated by history – especially athletic history – and a proud Canadian, so the fact that I knew nothing about Harry Jerome prior to last week was pretty darned shameful. Luckily, MIGHTY JEROME – a fantastic film playing this year’s Hot Docs festival – has arrived to take me from the darkness to the light.

In the early 60’s, Harry Jerome was one of the top sprinters in the world. While growing up in North Vancouver and training at the University of Oregon, he ran the 100 metre dash in ten seconds flat. He actually ran it in 9.9, but that time was discredited since according to track officials at the time “No Canadian could possibly break ten seconds”. The story of his career is one of resilience, determination, and inspiration.

In many ways, this doc wants us to ask ourselves “what if?”. What if while training at the Univeristy of Oregon, Harry had bit on the chance to invest in the launch of a sneaker company (some mom-and-pop operation called “Nike”)? What if he hadn’t overslept on the morning of his event at the 1960 Olympics in Rome and been forced to jog the last three miles to the stadium? What if he hadn’t completely torn his quadricep during the Commonwealth games two years later stalling his career at its peak? And perhaps most importantly, what if James had the support of an entire nation…rather than one that seemed to relish in tearing down its heroes?

Gloriously presented in black & white, MIGHTY JEROME is fascinating not only in how it focuses on the athlete, but also in how it focuses on the man. Jerome never had it easy growing up, struggling against racism repeatedly. Things didn’t get any easier when he fell in love with his wife-to-be, a white girl named Wendy. Thirty-something years before a prominent basketball player would declare “I am not a role model”, Harry was a role model by always doing his best and never failing to speak up with candour when important issues were at hand. Pity Canada didn’t seem ready to embrace him as the hero he was.

Assembled with a classiness and power befitting its subject, MIGHTY JEROME is a fitting tribute to a Canadian legend.

MIGHTY JEROME plays tomorrow – 9:30pm at The Lightbox, again on Saturday April 30th – 11:00am at Isabel Bader, and once more on Sunday May 8th – 4:30pm at The Revue.