Lynn Davies

Lynn Davies CBE (born 20 May 1942)<ref name="WorldAth" /> is a Welsh former track and field athlete who specialised in the long jump. He was the 1964 Olympic champion in the event.

Early life

Davies was born in Nantymoel near Bridgend<ref name="WelshAth" /> and was a member of the Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club.<ref name="CAAC 1">Template:Cite web</ref>

He was the son of Tegfryn Davies, a miner, of 14 Commercial Street.<ref>Glamorgan Gazette Friday 8 May 1964, page 10</ref> He attended Ogmore County Grammar School. He was in the 1st Ogmore Vale Scouts.<ref>Glamorgan Gazette Friday 26 March 1954, page 11</ref> He played the piano.<ref>Glamorgan Gazette Friday 25 March 1955, page 7</ref> He gained A-levels in Maths, English and History in 1960.<ref>Glamorgan Gazette Friday 5 August 1960, page 3</ref> He trained to become a teacher at Cardiff Training College.

From September 1964 he taught at Bridgend Grammar School, until October 1965.<ref>Western Daily Press Friday 22 October 1965, page 14</ref>

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

Career

Davies, a member of Roath Harriers, won an Olympic gold medal in the long jump in 1964 with a mark of Template:Convert, earning himself the nickname "Lynn the Leap" and winning the first ever long jump gold medal for Great Britain.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref name="CAAC 1"/> On 2 November 1964 he returned to a welcome from the Garw Valley and Ogmore Valley, in a motorcade from Cardiff.<ref>Glamorgan Gazette Friday 6 November 1964, page 9</ref> He was the first Welsh person to win individual Olympic gold in a field event.

He was 18th in the 1972 Olympic long jump,<ref name=sr/> his selection being something of a surprise at the time.Template: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).<ref name=sr/>

Davies was a five-time British long jump champion after winning the British AAA Championships title in 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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."<ref>UK list: Template:London Gazette</ref> He had previously been appointed a Member of the same order (MBE) in the 1967 New Year Honours for services to athletics.<ref name=sr/><ref>United Kingdom list: Template:London Gazette</ref> He was elected unopposed as President of the UK Athletics Members Council for a further four years following the close of nominations.<ref name=sr/>

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).<ref>Daily Mirror Monday 25 May 1964, page 30</ref>

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.<ref>Sunday Mirror Sunday 27 March 1966, page 37</ref><ref>Cambridge Daily News Tuesday 10 August 1971, page 28</ref>

References

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