John Ainsworth-Davis
British relay team at the 1920 Olympics, Ainsworth-Davis is 2nd left
Personal information
Born23 April 1895
Aberystwyth, Wales
Died3 January 1976 (aged 80)
Stockland, Devon, England
Alma materUniversity of Cambridge
Sport
SportAthletics
Event400 m
ClubUniversity of Cambridge
Achievements and titles
Personal best400 m – 50.0e (1920)[1][2]
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1920 Antwerp4×400 m relay

John Creyghton Ainsworth-Davis (23 April 1895 – 3 January 1976) was a Welsh surgeon and sprint runner who won a gold medal in the 4 × 400 m relay at the 1920 Summer Olympics.[3]

Biography

Ainsworth-Davis studied at Westminster School. During World War I he first served as a captain with the Rifle Brigade and then as pilot in the Royal Flying Corps.

At the 1920 Summer Olympics Ainsworth-Davis ran the third leg for the British 4 × 400 m relay team, which won the event. He also competed in the individual 400 m, to replace Cecil Griffiths who fell ill, and finished fifth.[1][4]

After graduating from University of Cambridge Ainsworth-Davis studied medicine at St. Bartholomew's Hospital and played music at a nightclub to support his family. He could not make time for sport, and retired from competitions after placing fourth in the 440 yards at the 1921 AAA Championships. He became a respected urological surgeon and the Secretary of the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM). During World War II he was head of the surgical division of RAF Hospital Cosford.[1] Later he served as Secretary and President of the Hunterian Society (1958) and Secretary of the RSM.

Ainsworth-Davis married Marguerite C. Wharry in 1920, with whom he had three children: Mary (1923), John Christopher (1924) (an actor/director/author who wrote under the pen name of Christopher Creighton and used the name John Ainsworth in the theatrical world),[5][6] and Jennifer (1930).

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 John Ainsworth-Davis Archived 12 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine. sports-reference.com
  2. ↑ John Ainsworth-Davis. trackfield.brinkster.net
  3. ↑ "John Ainsworth-Davis". Olympedia. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  4. ↑ "Going for Gold: 1 Cambridgeshire's Olympians". Cambridgeshire County Council. 21 July 2011. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  5. ↑ "John Ainsworth – IMDb".
  6. ↑ "Books: The spy who went after the gold | The Independent | The Independent".
  7. ↑ "Obituary Notices". British Medical Journal. 1 (6004): 287–289. 31 January 1976. ISSN 0007-1447. PMC 1638570. PMID 764932.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Ainsworth-Davis.
  • Buchanan, Ian British Olympians. Guinness Publishing (1991) ISBN 0-85112-952-8
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