Lynn Davies

Last updated

Lynn Davies
CBE
Lynn Davies 1964.jpg
Davies at the 1964 Olympics
Personal information
NicknameLynn the Leap
Born (1942-05-20) 20 May 1942 (age 82) [1]
Nant-y-moel, Wales [2]
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight77 kg (170 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)Long jump, sprint
ClubRoath Harriers, Cardiff
Cardiff AAC [3]
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)LJ – 8.23 m (1968)
100 m – 10.51 (1967)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1964 Tokyo Long jump
European Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1966 Budapest Long jump
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1969 Athens Long jump
Representing Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1966 Kingston Long jump
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1970 Edinburgh Long jump

Lynn Davies CBE (born 20 May 1942) [1] is a Welsh former track and field athlete who specialised in the long jump. He was the 1964 Olympic champion in the event.

Contents

Early life

He was born in Nantymoel near Bridgend [2] and was a member of the Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club. [4]

He was the son of Tegfryn Davies, a miner, of 14 Commercial Street. [5] He attended Ogmore County Grammar School. He was in the 1st Ogmore Vale Scouts. [6] He played the piano. [7] He gained A-levels in Maths, English and History in 1960. [8] He trained to become a teacher at Cardiff Training College.

From September 1964 he taught at Bridgend Grammar School, until October 1965. [9]

He was a PE college lecturer at Cardiff College of Education from April 1966.

Career

Davies won an Olympic gold medal in the long jump in 1964 with a mark of 8.07 metres (26 ft 6 in), earning himself the nickname "Lynn the Leap". He finished ninth in 1968, having been his nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony. In 1964 he also competed in the 100 metres and 4×100 metres contests. [4] On 2 November 1964 he returned to a welcome from the Garw Valley and Ogmore Valley, in a motorcade from Cardiff. [10] He was the first Welsh person to win individual Olympic gold in a field event.

He was 18th in the 1972 Olympic long jump, [3] his selection being something of a surprise at the time.[ citation needed ]

Outside the Olympics, Davies was the 1966 European champion in the long jump and was the silver medallist three years later. He was also twice the Commonwealth Games champion, winning titles in 1966 and 1970 (becoming the first man to win that title twice). [3]

Personal life

Davies was twice a winner of the BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year award, taking the honour in 1964 and 1966. After retiring from competitions in 1973 he became technical director of Canadian athletics until 1976 and later prepared the British team for the Moscow Olympics.

Davies was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2006 Birthday Honours "for services to Sport, in particular Athletics." [11] He had previously been appointed a Member of the same order (MBE) in the 1967 New Year Honours for services to athletics. [3] [12] He was elected unopposed as President of the UK Athletics Members Council for a further four years following the close of nominations. [3]

His girlfriend was 21 year old Meriel Griffiths, an art teacher in Cardiff, and had plans for marriage took place when he returned from Japan. They had met at Cardiff Training College (now Cardiff Metropolitan University). [13]

He married on Tuesday 19 July 1966 in Sketty. His wife presented Sion a Sian, a Welsh-language quiz show, with Dewi Richards and Jenny Jones, on Television Wales and the West. [14] [15]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Lynn Davies". worldathletics.org.
  2. 1 2 "Lynn Davies - Welsh Athletics". www.welshathletics.org.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Lynn Davies". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Welcome to Cardiff AAC :: Roll of Honour – Gold (50)". Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club website. Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club. 2009. Archived from the original on 9 February 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  5. Glamorgan Gazette Friday 8 May 1964, page 10
  6. Glamorgan Gazette Friday 26 March 1954, page 11
  7. Glamorgan Gazette Friday 25 March 1955, page 7
  8. Glamorgan Gazette Friday 5 August 1960, page 3
  9. Western Daily Press Friday 22 October 1965, page 14
  10. Glamorgan Gazette Friday 6 November 1964, page 9
  11. UK list: "No. 58014". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 17 June 2006. p. 7.
  12. United Kingdom list: "No. 44210". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1966. p. 16.
  13. Daily Mirror Monday 25 May 1964, page 30
  14. Sunday Mirror Sunday 27 March 1966, page 37
  15. Cambridge Daily News Tuesday 10 August 1971, page 28