Chris Commons

Last updated

Chris Commons
Personal information
BornChristopher John Commons
(1950-12-09) 9 December 1950 (age 75)
Sport
CountryFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Sport Athletics
Event
Long jump
ClubBox Hill Athletics Club, Melboune University Athletics Club, Geelong Guild Athletics Club
Medal record
Men's Athletics
Representing Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
British Commonwealth Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1974 Christchurch Long jump
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1978 Edmonton Long jump
Pacific Conference Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1973 Toronto Long jump
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1977 Canberra Long jump
New Zealand Games 1975
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1975 Christchurch Long jump

Christopher John Commons (born 9 December 1950) is a retired long jumper from Australia, who represented his country in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Commons won silver medals in the 1974 and 1978 Commonwealth Games during his career. [4] [5] [6] A four-time national champion in the men's long jump (1973–1976), he held the Australian Residential Long Jump Record of 8.08 metres. [7] He won the Pacific Conference Games in 1977 and was second in the event in 1973. [8]

He won the New Zealand Games in Christchurch in 1975 and competed in the World University Games (Universiade) in 1973 in Moscow. [9]

Commons was ranked sixth in the world by the magazine Track & Field News in 1975. [10] He received the Athlete of the Year award from the Athletics International organisation for the 1974–5 season.

As a young athlete, Commons was the Australian Junior Champion (under 19 years of age) in the triple jump for three consecutive years (1967–9). [11]

His brothers, Don Commons, a triple jumper, and David Commons, were also notable athletes.

Academic career

Commons completed a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in inorganic chemistry at the University of Melbourne in 1975. [12] In later years, he had a distinguished career as a teacher of chemistry and as an educational administrator. [13] He has authored numerous secondary school chemistry text books as well as chemistry research articles, in the fields of X-ray crystallography and coordination complexes. [14] [15] [16]

See also

References

  1. "Olympians - Christopher Commons". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  2. "Olympedia- Chris Commons". OlyMADMen. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  3. "Chris Commons". www.sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  4. "A look back at the history of the men's long jump at the Commonwealth Games". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  5. "Australia at the Games - Commonwealth Games 1974". Australian Athletics. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  6. "Australia at the Games - Commonwealth Games 1978". Australian Athletics. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  7. "Australian Open Track & Field Championships, Long Jump - Men". Australian Athletics. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  8. "Christopher "Chris" Commons". Australian Athletics. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  9. "Australia at the Games". Australian Athletics. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  10. "Mens World Long Jump Rankings by Athlete". Atrack and Field News. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  11. "Australian Junior Track & Field Championships, Triple Jump - Men". Australian Athletics. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  12. "Christopher Commons". ResearchGate. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  13. "CEA Chemistry Educator of the Year - Chris Commons 2004". Chemistry Education Association. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  14. "ORCID - Christopher Commons". ORCID. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  15. "Google Scholar - Christopher Commons". Google Schola. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  16. "Christopher Commons". ResearchGate. Retrieved 12 February 2026.