View source for Sid Atkinson

{{Short description|South African athlete}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use South African English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
|name=
|nickname=
|image = Sidney Atkinson, George Weightman-Smith 1928.jpg
| image_size     =
|caption=Atkinson (left) with teammate [[George Weightman-Smith]] at the 1928 Olympics
|birth_date= 14 March 1901 
|birth_place= [[Durban]], [[Colony of Natal]]
| death_date = 31 August 1977 (aged 76)
| death_place = Durban, South Africa
| height = 186 cm
| weight = 76 kg
|sport=Athletics
|event= 110 m, 400 m hurdles, [[long jump]]
|club= 
|pb= 110 mH – 14.7y (1928)<br>400 mH - 56.5 (1922)<br>LJ – 7.34 m (1925)<ref name=r1/><ref name=r4/> 
|alma_mater= 
| show-medals    = yes
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalCountry | {{flag|South Africa|1928}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1924 Summer Olympics|1924 Paris]]|[[Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metre hurdles|110 m hurdles]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1928 Summer Olympics|1928 Amsterdam]]|[[Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics - Men's 110 metre hurdles|110 m hurdles]]}}
}}

'''Sidney James Montford Atkinson''' (14 March 1901 – 31 August 1977) was a South African [[Athletics (sport)|athlete]], winner of 110 m hurdles at the [[1928 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/75242 |title=Sid Atkinson |work=Olympedia |access-date=21 September 2021}}</ref>

== Career ==
Atkinson came onto the international athletics scene in 1922, when he ran the 110 m hurdles in 15.2 and the 400 m hurdles in 56.5. He was also a notable [[long jump]]er.<ref name=r1/>

Atkinson won the British [[AAA Championships]] title in the 120 yards hurdles event at the [[1924 AAA Championships]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000320/19240621/189/0006 |title=To-day's Athletics|work=Gloucestershire Echo |date=21 June 1924 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=3 January 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19240623/112/0004 |title=Athletic Championships |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=23 June 1924  |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref>

At the [[1924 Summer Olympics]], the favourite for the 110 m hurdles was [[United States|American]] [[George Guthrie (athlete)|George Guthrie]], but as the race started, Atkinson and another American [[Daniel Kinsey]] got off to a quick start and ran nearly together until the eighth flight when Atkinson edged ahead. Atkinson clipped his toe on the last barrier, giving Kinsey enough of lead to break the tape and win the gold. Guthrie crashed through the barriers behind the two medalists and was disqualified.<ref name=r1/>

Atkinson won the British [[AAA Championships]] title in the 120 Yards hurdles event at the [[1928 AAA Championships]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005049/19280707/246/0012 |title=Peltzer fails to come back |work=London Daily Chronicle |date=7 July 1928 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 January 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003213/19280709/311/0015 |title=Champions of the AAA |work=Daily News (London)  |date=9 July 1928 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 January 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=5 January 2025 }}</ref> Shortly afterwards he represented South Africa at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where he finally gained gold after the disappointment of 1924, beating the [[world record]] holder [[Steve Anderson (athlete)|Steve Anderson]] from the United States into second place.<ref name=r1/>

== References ==
{{Commons category|Sidney Atkinson}}
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=r1>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417172701/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/at/sid-atkinson-1.html Sid Atkinson]. sports-reference.com</ref>
<ref name=r4>[http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=255&Gender=M Sidney Atkinson]. trackfield.brinkster.net</ref>
}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions 110 m hurdles Men}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atkinson, Sydney}}
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:1977 deaths]]
[[Category:Athletes from Durban]]
[[Category:Colony of Natal people]]
[[Category:South African men hurdlers]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1924 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1928 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for South Africa]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for South Africa]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for South Africa]]
[[Category:South African men long jumpers]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1924 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1928 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:20th-century South African sportsmen]]


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{{SouthAfrica-Olympic-medalist-stub}}