Sydney Atkinson

Sydney Atkinson ( Sydney James Montford " Syd " Atkinson; born March 14, 1901 in Durban, † August 31, 1977 ) was a South African athlete. At a height of 1.86 m, it had a competition weight of 76 kg.

At the Olympic Games in 1924 Sydney Atkinson delivered the final of the 110-meter hurdle run a duel with the American Daniel Kinsey. Daniel Kinsey won in 15.0 seconds before the simultaneous Atkinson. Third was the Swede Sten Pettersson in 15.4 seconds.

Prior to the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, the world record by Earl Thomson and Sten Pettersson was 14.8 seconds. In the first semifinal of the world record from American Dye Leighton was set; Briton Frederick Gaby ran 14.9 seconds in second place. In the second semi-final turned Stephen Anderson (USA ) is also the world record for a Sydney Atkinson was second in 14.9 seconds. In the third semi-final Atkinson's compatriot George Weightman -Smith ran with 14.6 seconds world record before John Collier from the United States, who set the previous world record 14.8 seconds. While before 1928 at the Olympic Games only Thomson in 1920 remained below 15 seconds was not enough time 14.9 seconds for the young Swede Eric Wennström for the final.

In the final Weightman -Smith was on the inside lane of a priori at a disadvantage because this train was softened by the round trips of long-distance runners. Nevertheless, the Olympic gold medal went to a South African, because Atkinson won in 14.8 seconds before Anderson ( 14.8 ) and Collier ( 14.9 ). Dye ( 14.9 ) followed before Weightman -Smith ( 15.0 ) and Gaby ( 15.2 ).

Sydney Atkinson launched in 1928 in the 100 - meter dash and the long jump, but did not reach the finals in both disciplines.

Swell

• Ekkehard to Megede: The Modern Olympic Century 1896-1996 Track and Fields Athletics. Berlin 1999 (published on German Society for Athletics documentation eV)