Duncan White
Encyclopedia
Duncan White, MBE
(1 March 1918 – 3 July 1998) was the first Sri Lanka
n athlete to win a medal for his country in an Olympic event. He won a silver in the 400-metre hurdles
at the 1948 Summer Olympics
in London
, England
. He was also the only South Asian to have won an Olympic medal in track and field for more than fifty years.
White was born on 1 March 1918 in Lathpandura near Kalutara
, in the then British-ruled Ceylon, the second of four children of John Bernard White and Cecilia Hawk White, descended from various ethnicites. He was educated at Trinity College, Kandy where he was awarded 'Trinity Lion'
for athletics; this was subsequently withdrawn from him due to minor disciplinary reasons. White won his Olympic medal the same year Ceylon gained independence from Britain
. He had trained for only about 3 months before the games while the gold medalist, Roy Cochran
of the USA, had trained for about 4 years. White's time for the event, 51.8 seconds, was only 0.7 seconds behind Cochran, which along with Cochran's time bettered the existing Olympic record.
After the Olympic victory, White was welcomed at a ceremony at Trinity
, and was honoured by returning his 'Lion'. Making a speech at the special assembly, White stated that "although my victory at the Olympics is prestigious, the 'Lion' makes me feel more honoured than that", and received the 'Lion' with open arms.
In the 1950 British Empire Games
in Auckland
, New Zealand
, White won the 440-yard hurdles, only 0.3 seconds behind the world record. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire
(MBE) in 1949 but only many years later in 1988 was he honored by his Sri Lanka
n homeland by a postage stamp.
White was married to Angela White née Siebel and had six children: Maxine, Nita, Christopher, Daniel, Marilyn and Fiona. He had three brothers, Frederick A. White, also an athlete, Stanley Leonard White and Douglas Andrew White (died 1960). He was a Major
in the Ceylon Army Volunteer Force
.
The athlete died in 1998, in the town he'd inhabited for most of his later years, Nuneaton
, Warwickshire
, England
. That is despite White's admitted intentions to migrate his family to New Zealand before death, since New Zealand was 'the only country in the world to match England in beauty and exceed it in peace'. His wife Angela is still homed in Nuneaton.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1 March 1918 – 3 July 1998) was the first Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n athlete to win a medal for his country in an Olympic event. He won a silver in the 400-metre hurdles
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...
at the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was also the only South Asian to have won an Olympic medal in track and field for more than fifty years.
White was born on 1 March 1918 in Lathpandura near Kalutara
Kalutara
Kalutara is a resort town located approximately 40 km south of Colombo in Sri Lanka.- Overview :Once an important spice-trading center, the city's name is derived from the Kalu Ganga River . In the 11th Century, the town was temporarily made a capital on the orders of a South Indian Prince...
, in the then British-ruled Ceylon, the second of four children of John Bernard White and Cecilia Hawk White, descended from various ethnicites. He was educated at Trinity College, Kandy where he was awarded 'Trinity Lion'
The Trinity Lion
The Trinity Lion is the most prestigious award a sportsman can achieve at Trinity College, Kandy. The first Rugby Lions were awarded in 1915, to A. Halangoda and R. Ondaatje. Since then there have been 129 Rugby Lionsmen...
for athletics; this was subsequently withdrawn from him due to minor disciplinary reasons. White won his Olympic medal the same year Ceylon gained independence from Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He had trained for only about 3 months before the games while the gold medalist, Roy Cochran
Roy Cochran
LeRoy Braxton Cochran was an American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics....
of the USA, had trained for about 4 years. White's time for the event, 51.8 seconds, was only 0.7 seconds behind Cochran, which along with Cochran's time bettered the existing Olympic record.
After the Olympic victory, White was welcomed at a ceremony at Trinity
Trinity College, Kandy
Trinity College, Kandy founded in 1872 by Anglican missionaries, is an Independent elite private boys’ school providing primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka...
, and was honoured by returning his 'Lion'. Making a speech at the special assembly, White stated that "although my victory at the Olympics is prestigious, the 'Lion' makes me feel more honoured than that", and received the 'Lion' with open arms.
In the 1950 British Empire Games
1950 British Empire Games
The 1950 British Empire Games was the fourth edition of what is now called the Commonwealth Games. It was held in Auckland, New Zealand between the 4th and 11th of February 1950, after a 12-year gap from the 3rd edition of the games...
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, White won the 440-yard hurdles, only 0.3 seconds behind the world record. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(MBE) in 1949 but only many years later in 1988 was he honored by his Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n homeland by a postage stamp.
White was married to Angela White née Siebel and had six children: Maxine, Nita, Christopher, Daniel, Marilyn and Fiona. He had three brothers, Frederick A. White, also an athlete, Stanley Leonard White and Douglas Andrew White (died 1960). He was a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the Ceylon Army Volunteer Force
Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
The Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force is the principal and Volunteer reserve force component of the Sri Lanka Army. It is a collective name for the reserve units and the Sri Lanka National Guard of the Sri Lankan Army. The SLAVF is made up of part-time Officers and soldiers paid at a similar rate,...
.
The athlete died in 1998, in the town he'd inhabited for most of his later years, Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. That is despite White's admitted intentions to migrate his family to New Zealand before death, since New Zealand was 'the only country in the world to match England in beauty and exceed it in peace'. His wife Angela is still homed in Nuneaton.
External links
See also
- Nagalingam EthirveerasingamNagalingam EthirveerasingamDr Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam represented Sri Lanka in the 1952 and 1956 Olympic Games and three Asian Games.He won the first Asian Games gold medal for Sri Lanka in 1958. He taught in Universities in Sierra Leone, Papua New Guinea, Nigeria and Sri Lanka...
- Susanthika JayasingheSusanthika JayasingheSusanthika Jayasinghe is a Sri Lankan sprint athlete specializing in the 100 and 200 metres....