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]