This Is Your Life: David Hemery

David HEMERY MBE (1944-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - David Hemery, athlete, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while presenting cups and medals to winners of a gymnastic display by school children at the Sobell Sports Centre in Islington, London, from where the programme was then recorded.

David, who was born in Cirencester, won his first hurdles race in a school sports race in 1953 and joined Colchester Athletics Club at age 11. After emigrating with his family to Boston, USA, he moved back and forth across the Atlantic while continuing his training.

David specialised in hurdles and won gold medals at the 1966 and 1970 Commonwealth Games, a silver medal at the 1969 European Championships, and silver and bronze medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics. He is best known for winning a gold medal in the 400m hurdles at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, with a new world record of 48.12 seconds, which earned him the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.

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