George Giles

George Robert Bayne Giles (21 December 1913 – 11 July 1973) was a New Zealand track and road cyclist. He was a New Zealand's leading track cyclist of the 1930s and held several national titles in 1936-38: the national sprint, time trial third time in succession, and 10-mile title.[2]

For the Negro Leagues first baseman, see George Giles (baseball). For the English surgeon and entomologist, see George Michael James Giles. For the Canadian sailor, see George Gyles.

George Giles
Giles in 1936
Personal information
Full nameGeorge Robert Bayne Giles
Born(1913-12-21)21 December 1913
Wanganui, New Zealand[1]
Died11 July 1973(1973-07-11) (aged 59)
Wanganui, New Zealand
Team information
DisciplineTrack, road
Medal record
Representing  NZL
British Empire Games
1938 SydneySprint

Giles was born in Christchurch where he worked in a cycle shop, then as a barman at a hotel.[3] After being initially overlooked for selection due to his times not being "up to the required standard",[4] he represented New Zealand at the 1936 Summer Olympics at Berlin in the sprint, 1000 m time trial, and in the road race. At the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney he won the bronze medal in the sprint and placed ninth in the time trial.[1]

He died suddenly in Wanganui on 11 July 1973 aged 59, leaving a wife and four sons.[3][5]

References
  1. George Giles. sports-reference.com
  2. Des Williams (2006). Born to Thunder: Champions of New Zealand Cycling. Last Side Publishing, Hamilton. p. 9. ISBN 0-473-10929-8.
  3. Item in Evening Post of 16 July 1973
  4. "Olympic Games". The Press. LXXII (21740). 24 March 1936. p. 15. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  5. "Olympian dies". Auckland Star. 13 July 1973. p. 3.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.