George Giles (cyclist) explained

George Giles
Full Name:George Robert Bayne Giles
Birth Date:21 December 1913
Birth Place:Wanganui, New Zealand[1]
Death Place:Wanganui, New Zealand
Discipline:Track, road
Show-Medals:yes

George Robert Bayne Giles (21 December 1913 – 11 July 1973) was a New Zealand track and road cyclist. He was a New Zealand's leading track cyclist of the 1930s and held several national titles in 1936–38: the national sprint, time trial third time in succession, and 10-mile title.[2]

Giles was born in Christchurch where he worked in a cycle shop, then as a barman at a hotel.[3] After being initially overlooked for selection due to his times not being "up to the required standard",[4] he represented New Zealand at the 1936 Summer Olympics at Berlin in the sprint, 1000 m time trial, and in the road race. At the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney he won the bronze medal in the sprint and placed ninth in the time trial.[1]

He died suddenly in Wanganui on 11 July 1973 aged 59, leaving a wife and four sons.[5]

Notes and References

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20200418003213/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/gi/george-giles-1.html George Giles
  2. Book: Des Williams . Born to Thunder: Champions of New Zealand Cycling. 2006 . Last Side Publishing, Hamilton . 9. 0-473-10929-8 .
  3. Item in Evening Post of 16 July 1973
  4. News: Olympic Games . 24 September 2016 . . LXXII . 21740 . 24 March 1936 . 15.
  5. News: Olympian dies . Auckland Star . 13 July 1973 . 3.