Athletics 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

Alfred ('Alfie') Shrubb - Famous Long Distance Runner

Alfred ('Alfie') Shrubb - Famous Long Distance Runner. He won all there was to win in long-distance running as is evident in this photograph. In his heyday, Shrubb was virtually unbeatable at all distances between 2, 000 yards and 15 miles. He won more than 1, 000 races and suffered only a handful of defeats - the latter usually coming at one mile or in marathons, distances he wasn't best suited to "

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection

Harold Maurice Abrahams, CBE, (15 December 1899 - 14 January 1978

Harold Maurice Abrahams, CBE, (15 December 1899 - 14 January 1978), British athlete of Jewish origin, educated at Repton and Caius College, Cambridge. The story of his race and the moral dilemma of his fellow British sportsman, Eric Lidell, was the basis of the film, Chariots of Fire. Date: 1924

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Abrahams, Athletics, Champion, Chariots, Fire, Games, Harold, Jan19, Medallist, Olympic, Olympics, Portrait, Portraits, Runner, Running, Sprint