Hector Hogan was born in Rockhampton and was educated at Marist Brothers College, Rosalie in Brisbane. He did very little running at school, only winning the sprint championship in his last year. After school, he took a job as an apprentice refrigeration mechanic and kept fit by riding 30 miles to and from work each day. As a junior, Hec played rugby league and was a prolific try scorer on the wing. He also took up running and soon realised he was a better athlete.
In 1951, he won both the junior and senior Queensland 100 yards titles—the senior in 9.6 secs. He also won both senior and junior long jump and the junior high jump. At the 1951 National Championships in Hobart, Hec finished third in the 100 yards in 10 flat behind West Australian Bill de Gruchy. The following year in Brisbane, he won the National title in 9.6, beating 1948 Olympian John Treloar. Hec was now in line for Olympic selection. But a few days later in Sydney, Treloar beat him and was chosen ahead of Hec for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Financial considerations were essentially the reason for tough selection policies at that time.
This was Hec’s first National 100 yards title, which he successfully defended on six further occasions until he retired. Hec was renowned for his blistering start and his great competitive spirit—becoming known as ‘Hustling Hec’. In 1954, in Sydney on a grass track, Hec equalled the world 100 yards record in 9.3. That same day, in a mixed handicap race, Hec equalled the world 100m record of 10.2. The 100m record was not allowed by the IAAF as it was in a mixed race.
Hogan was selected for the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada, and was considered one of the favourites to win the 100 yards. However, Hec was not in his world record form and had to settle for bronze in a blanket finish behind Trinidad’s Mike Agostini (9.6) and Canada’s Don McFarlane (9.7)—the same time run by Hec. He collected another bronze medal in the 4×110 yards relay and also finished fifth in the 220 yards and long jump. The following year, Hec moved to Melbourne for further coaching and joined the Oakleigh Athletic Club. In 1956, he was selected for the Melbourne Olympics. He breezed through his heat and quarterfinal of the 100m in 10.5. In his semi, Hec again ran 10.5 to finish third behind the American pair of Bob Morrow (10.3) and Thane Baker (10.4). He was in the final. The runners faced a five-metre headwind in the final. Hogan got the best start and was still leading at the 80m mark—only to be overhauled by both Morrow and Baker. Hec had the bronze in 10.6 (10.77), the same time as Baker in second spot. Hec also ran the 200m but was eliminated after finishing fourth in the quarterfinals in 21.7. He also anchored the 4x100m relay team, which finished fourth in their semi, missing out on a finals berth.
In 1958, Hec was selected for the 1958 Cardiff British Empire and Commonwealth Games. He was surprisingly eliminated in the semifinals of the 100 yards after finishing fifth in 9.7. He also failed to qualify for the final of the long jump but still came away with a bronze medal in the 4×110 yards relay. His form began to deteriorate in 1959, and he finished last in his heat of the 100 yards at the Nationals in Hobart, but still managed to win a silver in the relay. Not too much later, Hec was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away at just 29 years of age on the eve of the 100m final in the 1960 Rome Olympics, in which he had hoped to feature.
His personal bests were:
Paul Jenes OAM
Athletics Australia Statistician
President, ATFS
Acknowledgements:
Peter Stone – Australian Athlete, July 1968; The Official History of the Vth British Empire and Commonwealth Games 1954 Vancouver, Canada; The Official Report of the Organizing Committee for the Games of the XVI Olympiad Melbourne 1956; Official History of the VIth British Empire & Commonwealth Games, Cardiff, Wales 1958; Paul Jenes – Fields of Green, Lanes of Gold, The History of Athletics in Australia; Rob Whittingham, Paul Jenes & Stan Greenberg – Athletics at the Commonwealth Games; John Blanch & Paul Jenes – Australia’s Complete History at the Commonwealth Games; Fletcher McEwen – Australian Historic Rankings; Trove; Brian Roe.