Godfrey Lionel Rampling (14 May 1909 - 20 June 2009) was an English athlete and army officer who competed for Great Britain in the 1932 Summer Olympics and in the 1936 Summer Olympics. He turned 100 on 14 May, 2009 and was the oldest living British Olympian. [edit] Biography Born in Blackheath, London, Rampling won the British AAA championships in the 440 yd (400 m) in 1931 and 1934. At the 1932 Summer Olympics, Rampling was fourth in his semifinal in the individual 400 metre event and didn't reach the final, but ran the anchor leg to help the British 4×400 m relay team win the silver medal, behind the United States. At the 1934 British Empire Games in London, Rampling won the 440 yd (400 m), and helped the English 4×440 yards relay team to capture the gold medal. At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Rampling was again fourth in the semifinals of 400 metre competition and ran the second leg in the gold medal winning British 4x400 m relay team. Rampling was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Artillery, attached to NATO, until retiring in 1958 after 29 years service.[1] His daughter Charlotte Rampling is a noted film actress. He was, as of October 2007, the last surviving male athletics medallist from the 1932 Summer Olympics and the last male gold medallist in athletics from the 1936 Summer Olympics. Rampling was Britain's oldest living Olympic Gold medallist[1] and also oldest living Olympic competitor.[2] He celebrated his centenary with his family, including daughter Charlotte, on 14 May, 2009 at Bushey in Hertfordshire.[1] Rampling died in his sleep aged 100 on 20 June 2009.[3] [edit] References [edit] External links | Olympic Champions in Men's 4×400 m Relay | | 1908 United States: (medley) William F. Hamilton, Nathaniel Cartmell, John Taylor, Mel Sheppard · 1912 United States: Mel Sheppard, Edward Lindberg, Ted Meredith, Charles Reidpath · 1920 Great Britain: Cecil Griffiths, Robert Lindsay, John Ainsworth-Davies, Guy Butler · 1924 United States: Commodore Cochran, Alan Helffrich, Oliver MacDonald, William Stevenson · 1928 United States: George Baird, Emerson Spencer, Frederick Alderman, Ray Barbuti · 1932 United States: Ivan Fuqua, Edgar Ablowich, Karl Warner, Bill Carr · 1936 Great Britain: Frederick Wolff, Godfrey Rampling, William Roberts, Godfrey Brown · 1948 United States: Arthur Harnden, Clifford Bourland, Roy Cochran, Mal Whitfield · 1952 Jamaica: Arthur Wint, Leslie Laing, Herb McKenley, George Rhoden · 1956 United States: Charlie Jenkins, Louis Jones, Jesse Mashburn, Tom Courtney · 1960 United States: Jack Yerman, Earl Young, Glenn Davis, Otis Davis · 1964 United States: Ollan Cassell, Michael Larrabee, Ulis Williams, Henry Carr · 1968 United States: Vincent Matthews, Ron Freeman, Larry James, Lee Evans · 1972 Kenya: Charles Asati, Hezahiah Nyamau, Robert Ouko, Julius Sang · 1976 United States: Herman Frazier, Benjamin Brown, Fred Newhouse, Maxie Parks · 1980 Soviet Union: Remigijus Valiulis, Mikhail Linge, Nikolay Chernetsky, Viktor Markin · 1984 United States: Sunder Nix, Ray Armstead, Alonzo Babers, Antonio McKay · 1988 United States: Danny Everett, Steve Lewis, Kevin Robinzine, Butch Reynolds · 1992 United States: Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Michael Johnson, Steve Lewis · 1996 United States: LaMont Smith, Alvin Harrison, Derek Mills, Anthuan Maybank · 2000 Vacant: · 2004 United States: Otis Harris, Derrick Brew, Jeremy Wariner, Darold Williamson · 2008 United States: LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, David Neville, Jeremy Wariner | | |
