Graham Hood was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba but grew up in Burlington, Ontario. Hood was involved with athletics from a young age; and his father served as the Executive Director of the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) for some time. Hood attended Nelson High School where he was a four-time OFSAA champion in the 800m and 1500m. Hood was also a member of the Burlington Track and Field Club and competed in a variety of sports, including soccer, basketball, cross country skiing, and track and field.

Hood attended the University of Arkansas and competed for their track and field/cross country programs and led those teams to capture NCAA titles. Hood’s accolades with the school include being named the Top Relay Runner among college men at the 1994 Penn Relays. In addition, Hood was inducted into the University of Arkansas Hall of Honour in 2014.

After attending university, Hood went on to represent Canada at many international events, competing in the 800 and 1500m categories. Throughout his running career, Hood also made two appearances at the Olympics. Some notable achievements throughout Hood’s career include – being the only Canadian to have won the Millrose Games’ Wanamaker Mile, having won the 1995 edition of the event with a time of 3:57.08, winning the gold medal in the men’s 1500m race at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, and receiving bronze and silver medals at the Pan American Junior Championships. The table below indicates the scope of Hood’s running career.

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing Canada

1989 Pan American Junior Championships Santa Fe, Argentina 2nd 800 m 1:51.98
1990 World Junior Championships Plovdiv, Bulgaria 15th 1500m 3:50.72
1991 Pan American Junior Championships Kingston, Jamaica 3rd 800m 1:49.79
1st 1500m 3:52.48
1992 Olympic Games Barcelona, Spain 9th 1500m 3:42.55
1994 Commonwealth Games Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 10th 1500m 3:41.23
1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, United States – 1500m DNF
1997 World Indoor Championships Paris, France 11th 1500m 3:45.03
1997 World Championships Athens, Greece 7th 1500m 3:37.55
1999 Pan American Games Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 1st 1500m 3:41.20
1999 World Championships Seville, Spain 10th 1500m 3:35.35
2001 World Championships Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 16th (sf) 1500m 3:40.52
2002 Commonwealth Games Manchester, United Kingdom 5th 1500m 3:38.08
2003 World Indoor Championships Birmingham, United Kingdom 25th (h) 1500m 3:50.86