David John Dodds
Encyclopedia
David John Dodds is a retired marathon
er and jockey
.
In his late teens and early twenties (having trained as a fitter and turner, losing two of his fingers in the process) he became a well-known figure in local athletics before emigrating to Southern Rhodesia
in 1954.
The following year he participated in the South African Marathon Championships and came second to Jan Barnard. Moreover he ran in the gruelling Comrades Marathon, a 90 km (55.9 mi) event between the cities of Durban
and Pietermaritzburg
, and came fourth of 92 entrants. Dodds' time was 6 hours, 25 minutes and 15 seconds and he won the novices' trophy, an award given to the fastest first time entrant. Of the race he commented: "The downhills bothered me more than the uphills. My legs became so jarred that I thought I would not be able to finish."
Dodds later gave up athletics - having participated in the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
- and became a successful amateur jockey. He won over 50 races, including the Rhodesian Grand National in 1965 when he rode Tempelhof, owned by Sir Henry Grattan-Bellew. In 1974 he returned to Sunderland, accompanied by his wife Natalie (née Crampton) and three sons, one of whom is the author and historian Glen Lyndon Dodds. He now divides his time between Sunderland and a residence near Alicante
, Spain.
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
er and jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
.
In his late teens and early twenties (having trained as a fitter and turner, losing two of his fingers in the process) he became a well-known figure in local athletics before emigrating to Southern Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
in 1954.
The following year he participated in the South African Marathon Championships and came second to Jan Barnard. Moreover he ran in the gruelling Comrades Marathon, a 90 km (55.9 mi) event between the cities of Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
and Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
, and came fourth of 92 entrants. Dodds' time was 6 hours, 25 minutes and 15 seconds and he won the novices' trophy, an award given to the fastest first time entrant. Of the race he commented: "The downhills bothered me more than the uphills. My legs became so jarred that I thought I would not be able to finish."
Dodds later gave up athletics - having participated in the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Cardiff, capital of Wales from 18–26 July 1958.Thirty-five nations sent a total of 1,130 athletes and 228 officials to the Cardiff Games and 23 countries and dependencies won medals, including, for the first time, Singapore, Ghana, Kenya...
- and became a successful amateur jockey. He won over 50 races, including the Rhodesian Grand National in 1965 when he rode Tempelhof, owned by Sir Henry Grattan-Bellew. In 1974 he returned to Sunderland, accompanied by his wife Natalie (née Crampton) and three sons, one of whom is the author and historian Glen Lyndon Dodds. He now divides his time between Sunderland and a residence near Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, Spain.