Gerry Gratton Explained

Gerry Gratton
Full Name:Joseph Aimé Gerald Gratton[1]
Birth Date:29 August 1927[2]
Birth Place:Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Death Place:Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Weight:165 lbs
Country:Canada
Sport:Weightlifting

Gerry Gratton (August 29, 1927 – July 28, 1963) was a Canadian Olympic weightlifting medallist. He won a gold medal at the 1950 British Empire Games alongside a silver at the 1952 Summer Olympics and a gold at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. Gratton was inducted to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1955 and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

Early life and education

Gerry Gratton was born on August 29, 1927, in Montreal.

Career

Gratton started his weightlifting career at the 1948 Summer Olympics where he came in fifth.[3] At the 1950 British Empire Games, he won a gold medal in the middleweight event. Gratton followed up with a subsequent gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics, but he was demoted to the silver medal after an official ruling. After the Olympics, Gratton won a gold at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in the middleweight category. Gratton was scheduled to compete at the 1956 Summer Olympics, but he was disqualified due to surpassing the weight limit. Gratton's final competition before his retirement was at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.[4]

Throughout his career, Gratton set weightlifting records including sharing the middle weight Olympic record at the 1952 Olympics. He was also the flag bearer for the Canadian team at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

Awards and honours

In 1955, Gratton was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame.[5] Posthumously, he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.[6]

Death

Gratton died on July 28, 1963, after succumbing to injuries from a car accident.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gerry Gratton Bio, Stats, and Results . https://web.archive.org/web/20200418081648/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/gr/gerry-gratton-1.html . dead . April 18, 2020 . Olympics at Sports-Reference.com . en . June 27, 2019.
  2. Web site: Gérard GRATTON - Olympic Weightlifting Canada . June 16, 2016 . International Olympic Committee . en . June 27, 2019.
  3. Web site: Gerald Gratton . September 19, 2011 . Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website . en . June 28, 2019.
  4. Web site: Gérald Gratton . Foisy . Paul . July 27, 2015 . The Canadian Encyclopedia . June 27, 2019.
  5. Web site: Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame. olympic.ca. September 24, 2017.
  6. Web site: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Sportshall.ca . September 24, 2017.