Godfrey Rampling

Although he was eliminated in the semi-finals of the individual 400 metres at both the 1932 and 1936 Olympics, Godfrey Rampling won a relay medal in both Los Angeles and Berlin. An officer in the Royal Artillery, he won the AAA 440 yards title in 1931 and then made his mark on the international scene in the England vs. Germany match in Cologne later in the season, when after running 47.0 in the 4x400 metre relay, he covered the 400 metres stage of the medley relay in 46.7. The following season saw him win a silver medal in the relay at the Los Angeles Olympics when the British team set a European record of 3:11.6 behind the USA. In 1934, Rampling had his second win at the AAA Championships and then took the British Empire title with a British record of 48.0. He also finished first in the 1934 British Empire Games 4×440 yards relay (with Crew Stoneley and the non-Olympians Denis Rathbone and Geoffrey Blake). Although he was in fine form at the 1936 Games, he narrowly missed making the final of the individual 400 metres; but he made amends for this disappointment with a marvelous run in the relay. Running the second leg, Rampling took over the baton 12 metres behind the leader, but with a 46.7 run he handed over with a three-metre advantage and Britain went on to take the gold medals in 3:09.0. In doing so, as in 1932, they set a European record. Rampling retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel and was, for a time, the secretary of a golf club. His daughter, Charlotte, became a well-known film actress.

Personal Bests: 220y – 22.0 (1931); 400 – 47.5 (1936); 880y – 1:57.8 (1930).