Godfrey Lionel Rampling (14 May 1909 – 20 June 2009) was an English athlete and army officer who competed for Great Britain in the 1932 Summer Olympics and in the 1936 Summer Olympics. He turned 100 on 14 May 2009 and was the oldest living British Olympian at the time of his death.
Life and career
Rampling was born in Blackheath, London, the son of Gertrude Anne (Taylor) and Horace Johnson Rampling, a costumier.[1] After attending the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in 1929.[2] In 1932 he was promoted to lieutenant.[3] Rampling won the British AAA championships in the 440 yd (400 m) in 1931 and 1934.
At the 1934 British Empire Games in London, Rampling won the 440 yd (400 m), and helped the English 4×440 yards relay team to capture the gold medal.
At the 1936 BerlinOlympics, Rampling was again fourth in the semifinals of 400 metre competition and ran the second leg on the British 4 × 400 m relay team which won the gold medal.
He married Isabel Anne (née Gurteen; 1918–2001); their younger daughter Charlotte became a noted model and film actress. Their eldest daughter Sarah committed suicide in 1967.[5]
He was, as of October 2007, the last surviving male athletics medallist from the 1932 Summer Olympics and the last male gold medallist in athletics from the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Rampling was Britain's oldest living Olympic Gold medallist[4] and also oldest living Olympic competitor.[6] He celebrated his centenary with his family on 14 May 2009 at Bushey in Hertfordshire.[4]
Rampling died in his sleep aged 100 on 20 June 2009.[7]
