Nigel Barker (athlete)

Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Australia
Intercalated Games
1906 Athens 100 metres
1906 Athens 400 metres

Nigel Chase Barker (26 February 1883 – 31 July 1948) was an Australian athlete, who is regarded as holder of Australia's first athletics world record, in the 400 yards, and is an Intercalated Games bronze medalist.[1]

Barker was born in Sydney and attended Newington College (1895–1901) [2] and the University of Sydney.[3] He is described in the official Olympic history of Australia as 'an outstanding all-rounder' and he played representative rugby union for New South Wales, he was twice selected for Australia in rugby but was forced to decline on both occasions.[3] In 1904, Barker was selected for the St Louis Games, but injured an ankle playing rugby.[4]

A public subscription raised the funds for Barker to compete in Athens for the 1906 Intercalated Games,[5] at the games he competed in two events, first up was the 100 metres, in the first round he finished in second place behind American Lawson Robertson,[6] in the semi-finals he finished second again, one yard behind another American William Eaton,[7] in the final, running from lane 2, he finished in third place for the bronze medal behind another two Americans, Archie Hahn and Fay Moulton.[8] On the same day as the 100 metres final, he also competed in the 400 metres, in his first round heat he won in a time of 53 seconds and qualified for the final,[9] after a couple of days rest he finished again in bronze medal position behind Paul Pilgrim and James Lightbody.[10]

At the end of his athletic career Barker had won ten National Championship titles from 1903 to 1910.[11]

Since 2012, University of Sydney have awarded out a Nigel C Barker Medal for Sport Achievement.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Athletics Gold". Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2010. Retrieved 30 September 2007
  2. ↑ Newington College Register of Past Students 1863–1998 (Syd, 1999) pp9
  3. 1 2 Georgakis, Geoffrey Sherington, Steve (2008). Sydney University Sport 1852-2007 : more than a club (1st ed.). Sydney: Sydney University Press. p. 111. ISBN 9781920898915.
  4. ↑ Australian Canoeing online Retrieved 30 September 2007
  5. ↑ Athletics Gold Retrieved 30 September 2007
  6. ↑ "Athletics at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's 100 metres Round One". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "Athletics at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's 100 metres Semi-Finals". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  8. ↑ "Athletics at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's 100 metres Final". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  9. ↑ "Athletics at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's 400 metres Round One". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  10. ↑ "Athletics at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's 400 metres Final". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  11. ↑ "Australian Athletics Results". athhistory.sportstg.com. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  12. ↑ "Graduate medals recognise outstanding alumni". sydney.edu.au. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
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