Cecil Griffiths
Cecil Griffiths in 1922
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| Personal information | ||||||||||
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| Full name | Cecil Redvers Griffiths | |||||||||
| Nationality | British | |||||||||
| Born |
18 February 1900 Neath, Wales |
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| Died | 11 April 1945 (aged 45) Edgware, Greater London, England |
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| Sport | ||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||
| Event(s) | 400 metres, 440 yards, 880 yards | |||||||||
| Club | Surrey AC | |||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 220 yd – 22.9 (1921) 440 yd – 49.8 (1921) 880 yd – 1:53.1e (1926) 1000 m – 2:31.8 (1925) Mile – 4:25.4 (1922) |
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Medal record
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Cecil Redvers Griffiths (18 February 1900 – 11 April 1945) was a Welsh athlete who won a gold medal at the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was subsequently barred from competing at the 1924 Summer Olympics due to a ruling that he had competed as a professional during his early career, but continued to successfully race in domestic competitions.
Griffiths’ father, Benjamin, was a former able-bodied seaman born in a workhouse who settled in Neath upon leaving the Royal Navy. He was a successful local businessman, town councilor and committee member of Neath RFC. He married Sarah Trick in 1892.
Griffiths was Benjamin and Sarah’s fifth child of six, but only older siblings Ben and Eva survived beyond infancy. Griffiths showed promise as a winger for Neath RFC but did not progress beyond the junior sides due to the outbreak of the First World War.
Upon leaving school, Griffiths began work at the Great Western Railway depot in Neath. When he reached his eighteenth birthday in February 1918, he volunteered for the Queen's Westminsters, a Territorial Army regiment in London. The war ended before Griffiths was sent on active service.
While in the army, Griffiths ran in several races, including winning the 440 yards at the 1918 Inter-Services Championships at Stamford Bridge. When the war ended, Griffiths joined Surrey Athletics Club and made his first appearance in the AAA Championships in 1919, finishing third in the 440 yards. Third place in the same race the following year led to Griffiths being selected in the British team for the 1920 Summer Olympics.
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