Tommy Godwin (cyclist born 1912)

Thomas Edward "Tommy" Godwin ( born January 5, 1912 in Fenton, Stoke -on-Trent, † 1975) was a British cyclist. In 1939 he set a year - endurance world record, which still exists today.

Youth and successes as an amateur

Tommy Godwin came from a poor family and had to contribute from the age of twelve years as a delivery driver on the bike to the family income. He was fun cycling, and at age 14 he signed up for a bike race. He denied this race with the heavy bike, with whom he surrendered otherwise, mounted the basket for the goods from, built a different impellers and borrowed suitable shoes. He won the 25-mile race with a time of one hour and five minutes.

Godwin, who was a vegetarian at a young age, the Potteries Clarion Cycling Club joined and later, after moving to London for professional reasons, Rickmansworth Cycling Club. In those years, he won numerous amateur races, especially the individual time trial, a discipline that time was particularly popular in the UK. In 1933 he finished second in the ranking of " Best All- Rounder ' seventh He also participated in several distance trips in his home country part and resolved to outdo the previous distance world record of Australian Oserick Nicholson, who in one year -. 1937-62657 miles ( 104,812 km ) was down.

Record run 1939/1940

Tommy Godwin took his plan on January 1, 1939 in attack and made already on 26 October of the same year, a record of Nicholson when he arrived in Trafalgar Square. For the record ride his bike was equipped with a sealed odometer; he had his journeys documented in writing and have it signed these transcripts of witnesses. At certain points referees were posted. Finally, he surpassed the previous record of Nicholson with a total of 75,065 miles ( 120,805 kilometers ), which corresponds to a distance three times around the earth. This, however, his record hunger was not satisfied: he reeled down more thousands of miles, so that he had claimed a total of 500 days reached 100,000 mile limit and thus broken the previous record set by the Frenchman René Menzies with 532 days. Godwin reached its destination, the Paddington Recreation Ground, on 13 May 1940 where he was expected by his sponsors, his family and friends. It is said that he had used weeks until he was able to walk properly again.

Later years

Shortly after his record run Godwin was called up for military, so he had no chance to reap from his performance more public recognition and financial reward. After the war he wanted to participate as an amateur in races, but this was denied by the Cycling Federation, despite the support of many cycling fans on the grounds that he had been on the road during his record run sponsored as a professional. He then worked as a trainer and supervisor at Stone Wheelers Club in Stone. After returning from a bike ride with friends, he died in 1975.

Honors

1939 Tommy Godwin was included in the " Golden Book of Cycling". 2005, a memorial plaque was unveiled to commemorate him at the Fenton Manor Sports Centre in Stoke -on-Trent.

Goodwin's record still exists today. The Guinness Book of World Records refused to accept this challenge because it was too dangerous.