Career
Hill started out as a long-distance runner, winning the British American Automobile Association championships over 4 miles in 1910. During World War I he served with the Royal Flying Corps in France, and after the war changed to middle-distance running. He nearly was not selected for the Olympics the following year, the selectors considering the 31-year-old Hill too old.
Finally, he was allowed to take part at the Olympics, which were held in Antwerp, Belgium.
He made the final in the 800m, which was a closely contested race. In the end, the 31-year-old Hill beat American Earl Eby for the gold, setting a British record of 1:53.4 on a slow track.
Two days later, Hill completed the middle distance double by winning the 1500 m as well, thus completing a "double" not replicated by a British athlete until Kelly Holmes at the 2004 Olympics. Hill ended his running career in 1921 and became a coach himself, his most famous protégé being Sydney Wooderson.
He emigrated to Canada shortly after World World War II, and died there in 1969.
In 2010, he was inducted into the England Athletics Hall of Fame.