Athlete Gallery

Eric Liddell celebrating his Olympic win at Edinburgh Univer

Eric Liddell, the 400m gold medallist at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games, crowned and chaired at Edinburgh University where he had studied science. Wearing a wreath of olive leaves, he is carried by fellow graduates on a chair to St. Giles Cathedral where the graduation service was held. Answering the demand for a speech, Mr Liddell said, Over the entrance to the University of Pennsylvania there are these words: In the dust of defeat as well as in the laurel of victory there is glory to be found if one has done his best.'" Eric Liddell (1902 - 1945), was a Scottish athlete, rugby union international and missionary, Olympic gold medal winner in the 400m at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games and subject of the Oscar-winning 1981 film, Chariots of Fire. Date: 1924

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Hayes winning the Marathon Race. Olympic Games, London 1908

Photograph of John Hayes, American athlete, in the final leg of the marathon race at the London Olympic Games in 1908. Dorando Pietri of Italy collapsed after entering the stadium ahead of the pack. He was revived by doctors and some of the officials helped him to his feet and then assisted him to the finish line. John Hayes of the United States was the second finisher. Pietri had been declared the winner, but the Americans lodged a protest that was finally upheld. Dorando was nevertheless presented with a special cup by Queen Alexandra for his pluck

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Lord Burghley engaged to Lady Mary Montagu-Douglas-Scott

David George Brownlow Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter (1905 - 1981), Lord Burghley, athlete, sports official and Conservative party politician pictured at the time of his engagement to Lady Mary Montagu-Douglas-Scott (1904-1984). Burghley won a gold medal in the 400 metre hurdles at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. As an athlete, Burghley was a very keen practitioner who placed matchboxes on hurdles and practised knocking over the matchboxes with his lead foot without touching the hurdle. In 1927, his final year at Magdalene College, Cambridge, he amazed colleagues by sprinting around the Great Court at Trinity College in the time it took the college clock to toll 12 o'clock, inspiring the scene in the film Chariots of Fire (whose character Lord Andrew Lindsay is based upon Burghley) in which Harold Abrahams accomplishes the same feat. Lord Burghley did not allow his name to be used in the film because of the inaccurate historical depiction in the movie. There was never a race upon which Harold Abrahams beat Lord Burghley in this feat as the movie depicts. Burghley is also said to have set another unusual record by racing around the upper promenade deck of the Queen Mary in 57 seconds, dressed in everyday clothes. Burghley later served as president of the Amateur Athletic Association for 40 years, president of the International Amateur Athletic Federation for 30 years and as a member of the International Olympic Committee for 48 years. He was also chairman of the Organising Committee of the 1948 Summer Olympics. Date: 1928

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans