Chris Goudge
Encyclopedia
Christopher Edward Goudge (4 March 1935 Prestwich, Greater Manchester, England– 7 November 2010 Devon,,United Kingdom) was a British athlete who competed in the 400m hurdles at the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome.
, Greater Manchester, England where his father was an inspector for Lloyd's Bank. The family settled in Bolton
where he attended Bolton School
. While doing national service
with the Royal Tank Regiment
he also represented them as a runner. He studied physics at UMIST
, also playing clarinet and representing the University in athletics.
, winning the senior Lancashire event while still a junior. He also became successful as a runner and hurdler
; in 1957 he was a member of the silver medal-winning British team in the 4x400m relay at the World Student Games and the following year he competed at the Cardiff Commonwealth Games
in the 440m hurdles. He held the English record for this title between 1958 and 1964, also being selected to compete in the 400m hurdles at the 1960 Rome Olympics. He ran 52.75 in the third heat, finishing fourth, which turned out to be insufficient to qualify him for the semifinals.
as part of the "Spirit of Sport" statue on De Havilland Way.
Early life
Goudge was born in PrestwichPrestwich
Prestwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies close to the River Irwell, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford and south of Bury....
, Greater Manchester, England where his father was an inspector for Lloyd's Bank. The family settled in Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
where he attended Bolton School
Bolton School
Bolton School is an independent day school in Bolton, in the North-West of England. It comprises a co-educational Nursery and Infant School and single sex Junior and Senior Schools . With almost 2,400 pupils it is one of the largest independent day schools in the country.-History:Bolton School...
. While doing national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
with the Royal Tank Regiment
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
he also represented them as a runner. He studied physics at UMIST
UMIST
The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology was a university based in the centre of the city of Manchester in England. It specialised in technical and scientific subjects and was a major centre for research...
, also playing clarinet and representing the University in athletics.
Sporting career
He joined Bolton Harriers running club and achieved early success in the high jumpHigh jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
, winning the senior Lancashire event while still a junior. He also became successful as a runner and hurdler
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
; in 1957 he was a member of the silver medal-winning British team in the 4x400m relay at the World Student Games and the following year he competed at the Cardiff Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
in the 440m hurdles. He held the English record for this title between 1958 and 1964, also being selected to compete in the 400m hurdles at the 1960 Rome Olympics. He ran 52.75 in the third heat, finishing fourth, which turned out to be insufficient to qualify him for the semifinals.
Post-Olympics and legacy
Goudge and his wife Elizabeth had two children, Caroline and Jonathan. The rest of his life was spent teaching physics until his retirement in 1995, when he moved to Devon. He is commemorated in BoltonBolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
as part of the "Spirit of Sport" statue on De Havilland Way.