Gordon Pirie

Douglas Alastair Gordon Pirie ( born February 10, 1931 in Leeds, † 7 December 1991 in Lymington ) is a British athlete who was successful in the 1950s as a long distance runner. In his ten year career he ran multiple world record and won two medals at international events. In 1955 he became the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Sportsman of the Year in the UK, selected.

His career began in 1951 when he won his first AAA championship over 6 miles in British record time of 29:32,0 seconds.

His success were the years 1953 and 1956.

Gordon Pirie took part in three Olympic Games. Over 5000 m, it was founded in 1952 in Helsinki with about ten seconds behind the German Herbert Schade fourth. Four years later in Melbourne he won silver behind Vladimir Kuz, which thus succeeded in revenge for mountains. In Rome in 1960 but had to Gordon Pirie, the biggest failure of his sporting career accept: More than 5000 m, it was not in the finals, and more than 10 000 m, it was only tenth.

At the European Championships 1958 in Stockholm he won behind Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak ( in world record time ) and Kazimierz Zimny ​​(both Poland) the bronze medal. He had less luck at the Commonwealth Games in the same year in Cardiff when he was in fourth positions respectively 1 and 3 miles.

His last championship he won in 1961 over 3 miles. In the same year he ran with 13:16,4 minutes over 3 miles up the last of his British national records. In 1967 he won the first nor the British Orienteering Championships, in 1968, he successfully defended the title. He also started the first two World Championships 1966 in Finland and 1968 in Sweden and finished it the 46th or 28th place.

Gordon Pirie was an employee of Lloyds Bank in London. He died at the age of 60 years to cancer and left behind two daughters.

He was 1.88 m tall and weighed 65 kg.

Services

  • Olympic Games 1952 in Helsinki: 5000 m: Fourth in 14:18,0 min
  • 10 000 m: Seventh in 30:09,5 min
  • 5000 m: SILVER in 13:50,6 min behind Vladimir Kuz (USSR) in 13:39,6 min and ahead of compatriot Derek Ibbotson in 13:54,4 min
  • 10 000 m: Aft in 29:49,6 min
  • 5000 m: BRONZE in 14:01,6 minutes behind the two poles Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak in 13:53,4 min and Kazimierz Zimny ​​in 13:55,2 min
  • 6 miles in 28:19,4 min on 10 July 1953 in London
  • 4x1500 m in 15:27,2 min ( Pirie as 3rd runner ) on August 3, 1953 in London
  • 5000 m in 13:36,8 min on 19 June 1956 in Bergen
  • 3000 m in 7:55,6 minutes on June 22, 1956 in Trondheim
  • 3000 m in 7:52,8 min on 4 September 1956 in Malmö. This record has been improved until six years later by Frenchman Michel Jazy at 7:49,4 min.
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