![]() Arthur Whitford in 1928 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Nationality | British |
Born | Swansea, Wales | 2 July 1908
Died | 7 January 1996 Swansea, Wales | (aged 87)
Sport | |
Sport | Gymnastics |
Arthur Whitford (2 July 1908 – 7 January 1996) was a British gymnast. [1] He competed in seven events at the 1928 Summer Olympics, [2] and was a ten-time British national champion. [3] [4]
Whitford was born in July 1908 in Swansea. [1] He began to take up gymnastics at the age of 12, at his local church club. [5] Following the closure of the club, he joined the gym club at the YMCA in Swansea. [4] Two weeks after joining, he represented the club in the local boys' final. [4]
He competed in gymnastics during the 1920s and 1930s, becoming the national champion for nine consecutive years from 1928 to 1936, [4] and winning his tenth national title in 1939. [1] Whitford also won two Irish titles, four Scottish titles, and nine Welsh titles. [4]
Whitford was part of the Great Britain team that competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. [6] His best individual performance was 61st place in the men's vault, [7] with the British team finishing in eleventh place overall. [8]
After initially stopping to compete competitively when he won his ninth national title in 1936, Whitford returned to competition two years later. [1] His aim was to compete at the 1940 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, [9] but the games were cancelled due to World War II. [10] As there was no competitions being held because of the war, Whitford became a coach, and coached his half-brother Jack. [1] Jack would also go on to represent Great Britain at the Olympics, with him taking part at the 1952 Summer Olympics. [11] Arthur Whitford also coached the British teams at the 1948 Summer Olympics and the 1952 Summer Olympics. [12]
Whitford later owned a shoe shop in his hometown of Swansea, [13] and died in January 1996, at the age of 87. [1] He was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. [14]
![]() Arthur Whitford in 1928 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Nationality | British |
Born | Swansea, Wales | 2 July 1908
Died | 7 January 1996 Swansea, Wales | (aged 87)
Sport | |
Sport | Gymnastics |
Arthur Whitford (2 July 1908 – 7 January 1996) was a British gymnast. [1] He competed in seven events at the 1928 Summer Olympics, [2] and was a ten-time British national champion. [3] [4]
Whitford was born in July 1908 in Swansea. [1] He began to take up gymnastics at the age of 12, at his local church club. [5] Following the closure of the club, he joined the gym club at the YMCA in Swansea. [4] Two weeks after joining, he represented the club in the local boys' final. [4]
He competed in gymnastics during the 1920s and 1930s, becoming the national champion for nine consecutive years from 1928 to 1936, [4] and winning his tenth national title in 1939. [1] Whitford also won two Irish titles, four Scottish titles, and nine Welsh titles. [4]
Whitford was part of the Great Britain team that competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. [6] His best individual performance was 61st place in the men's vault, [7] with the British team finishing in eleventh place overall. [8]
After initially stopping to compete competitively when he won his ninth national title in 1936, Whitford returned to competition two years later. [1] His aim was to compete at the 1940 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, [9] but the games were cancelled due to World War II. [10] As there was no competitions being held because of the war, Whitford became a coach, and coached his half-brother Jack. [1] Jack would also go on to represent Great Britain at the Olympics, with him taking part at the 1952 Summer Olympics. [11] Arthur Whitford also coached the British teams at the 1948 Summer Olympics and the 1952 Summer Olympics. [12]
Whitford later owned a shoe shop in his hometown of Swansea, [13] and died in January 1996, at the age of 87. [1] He was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. [14]