[5] Gmelin was an all-round sportsman who represented Oxfordshire at both football and in cricket where he competed in the Minor Counties Championship from 1895 to 1906.

[7] He had the distinction of being the first British athlete to compete in Olympic competition when he finished third in the inaugural heat of the 100 metres.

He was more successful in the 400 metres where he finished second behind Thomas Burke of the United States in his preliminary heat.

This qualified him for the final, where he placed third behind the United States pairing of Burke and Herbert Jamison in an estimated time of 55.6 seconds.

[8] For many years the German runner Fritz Hofmann was incorrectly listed as placing ahead of Gmelin.