Tommy Godwin (cyclist born 1920)
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Tommy" Charles Godwin (born 5 November 1920) was a British
track cyclist during the 1940s and 1950s. He held national records and raced abroad. He later became a coach, manager and administrator.
, United States
. His first bicycle was a Wrenson's delivery bike which he used to run errands for a local grocer. He
became interested in cycling because of the Olympic Games
in 1936. Arie van Vliet
's riding in the 1,000-metre time-trial inspired him. Godwin began racing three years later and rode the fastest 1,000m of the season at the Alexander Sports Ground. He was invited to trials in the Midlands to find riders for the next Olympics, despite not yet having won a race.
He won a 1,000m at The Butts track in Coventry
on 29 July 1939. His chances of Olympic selection ended with the second world war. He envied Reg Harris
and Dave Ricketts for being selected for the world championship at a young age, "not that I had any claims to such honours but because their good fortune provided them with expert tuition and decent tracks for training. In the Midlands this all seemed so far away."
Godwin was an apprentice electrician in a reserved occupation during the war, working for BSA
. But there was little competitive cycling and he rode at only 13 meetings between 1940 and the end of 1942.
The change in war fortunes meant more sport in Britain from 1943. Godwin was unbeaten in five-mile scratch events and won the Cattlow Trophy at Fallowfield
, Manchester
, that year and in 1944. In the national championship of 1944, at which Harris made his breakthrough, Godwin won the five-mile. He repeated this success in 1945, adding the 25-mile title which he retained in 1946. In 1949 he won the 4000 metres event. He won the BSA Gold Column, offered by his employers, by winning the five-mile at Herne Hill
in south London in 1945.
Godwin won two bronze medals, in the team pursuit
with Robert Geldard, Dave Ricketts and Wilfrid Waters, and the 1,000m time trial at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games in London
. He came third in the 1,000m at the 1950 British Empire Games
.
, became president of the British Cycling Federation
and of the Solihull
Cycling Club
. He ran the first British training camp in Majorca, Spain
, and the first track course at Lilleshall
, and founded the Birmingham RCC. He was Britain's first paid national coach and trained a generation of British track riders, many of whom won national and international titles and medals. They included Graham Webb
, who beat the British hour record and won the world road race championship, and Mick Bennett, who won bronze medals at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics.
From 1936 to 1950, he worked for BSA
. For 36 years from 1950 he ran a cycle shop in Silver Street in the Kings Heath
district of Birmingham
. His autobiography It Wasn't That Easy: The Tommy Godwin Story was published in 2007 by John Pinkerton Memorial Publishing Fund.
He is president of Solihull Cycling Club. His wife, Eileen, died on 5 January 2011.
in London
in 2012. On 27 July 2010 he appeared on the BBC One TV programme "London 2012: Two Years to Go", praising the new velodrome taking shape. He was interviewed by BBC presenter Sophie Raworth and showed his two Olympic bronze medals.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
track cyclist during the 1940s and 1950s. He held national records and raced abroad. He later became a coach, manager and administrator.
Origins
Godwin was born in ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His first bicycle was a Wrenson's delivery bike which he used to run errands for a local grocer. He
became interested in cycling because of the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in 1936. Arie van Vliet
Arie van Vliet
Arie van Vliet was a Dutch racing cyclist, olympic champion in track cycling.He received a gold medal in 1000 m time trial and a silver medal in individual sprint at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.-References:...
's riding in the 1,000-metre time-trial inspired him. Godwin began racing three years later and rode the fastest 1,000m of the season at the Alexander Sports Ground. He was invited to trials in the Midlands to find riders for the next Olympics, despite not yet having won a race.
He won a 1,000m at The Butts track in Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
on 29 July 1939. His chances of Olympic selection ended with the second world war. He envied Reg Harris
Reg Harris
Reginald - 'Reg' - Hargreaves Harris OBE was a leading English track racing cyclist in the 1940s and 1950s. He won the world amateur sprint title in 1947, two Olympic silver medals in 1948, and the professional title in 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1954...
and Dave Ricketts for being selected for the world championship at a young age, "not that I had any claims to such honours but because their good fortune provided them with expert tuition and decent tracks for training. In the Midlands this all seemed so far away."
Godwin was an apprentice electrician in a reserved occupation during the war, working for BSA
Birmingham Small Arms Company
This article is not about Gamo subsidiary BSA Guns Limited of Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP or BSA Company or its successors....
. But there was little competitive cycling and he rode at only 13 meetings between 1940 and the end of 1942.
The change in war fortunes meant more sport in Britain from 1943. Godwin was unbeaten in five-mile scratch events and won the Cattlow Trophy at Fallowfield
Fallowfield
Ladybarn is the part of Fallowfield to the south-east. Chancellors Hotel & Conference Centre is used by the University of Manchester: it was built by Edward Walters for Sir Joseph Whitworth, as were the Firs Botanical Grounds.-Religion:...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, that year and in 1944. In the national championship of 1944, at which Harris made his breakthrough, Godwin won the five-mile. He repeated this success in 1945, adding the 25-mile title which he retained in 1946. In 1949 he won the 4000 metres event. He won the BSA Gold Column, offered by his employers, by winning the five-mile at Herne Hill
Herne Hill
Herne Hill is located in the London Borough of Lambeth and the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London. There is a road of the same name which continues the A215 north of Norwood Road and was called Herne Hill Road.-History:...
in south London in 1945.
Post-war competition
The win at Herne Hill, the first time he had ridden there, "must have impressed, for an invitation to ride in Paris came my way," he said in the British weekly, The Bicycle. "Being the first international test after cessation of hostilities it was indeed a great honour."Godwin won two bronze medals, in the team pursuit
Team pursuit
The team pursuit is a track cycling event similar to the individual pursuit, except that two teams, each of up to four riders, compete, start on opposite sides of the velodrome.- Race format :...
with Robert Geldard, Dave Ricketts and Wilfrid Waters, and the 1,000m time trial at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He came third in the 1,000m at the 1950 British Empire Games
1950 British Empire Games
The 1950 British Empire Games was the fourth edition of what is now called the Commonwealth Games. It was held in Auckland, New Zealand between the 4th and 11th of February 1950, after a 12-year gap from the 3rd edition of the games...
.
Career after racing
Godwin managed the British cycling team at the 1964 Summer Olympic Games in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, became president of the British Cycling Federation
British Cycling
British Cycling is the national governing body for cycle racing in Great Britain. It administers most competitive cycling in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man...
and of the Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
Cycling Club
Cycling club
A cycling club is a society for cyclists. It can be local or national, general or specialised. The Cyclists' Touring Club, CTC) in the United Kingdom is a national association; i-Team and are internet clubs; the Tricycle Association, Tandem Club and the Veterans Time Trial Association, for those...
. He ran the first British training camp in Majorca, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and the first track course at Lilleshall
Lilleshall
Lilleshall is a village in Shropshire, England.It lies between the towns of Telford and Newport, on the A518, in the Telford and Wrekin borough and the Wrekin constituency....
, and founded the Birmingham RCC. He was Britain's first paid national coach and trained a generation of British track riders, many of whom won national and international titles and medals. They included Graham Webb
Graham Webb
Graham Webb is a former English racing cyclist who became the world amateur road race champion in 1967. In response to a journalist's shouted comment that the last British amateur world road champion had been Dave Marsh 45 years earlier, Webb retorted: "And they'll have to wait another 45 years...
, who beat the British hour record and won the world road race championship, and Mick Bennett, who won bronze medals at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics.
From 1936 to 1950, he worked for BSA
Birmingham Small Arms Company
This article is not about Gamo subsidiary BSA Guns Limited of Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP or BSA Company or its successors....
. For 36 years from 1950 he ran a cycle shop in Silver Street in the Kings Heath
Kings Heath
Kings Heath is a suburb of Birmingham, England, five miles south of the city centre. It is the next suburb south from Moseley on the Alcester Road.-History:...
district of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. His autobiography It Wasn't That Easy: The Tommy Godwin Story was published in 2007 by John Pinkerton Memorial Publishing Fund.
He is president of Solihull Cycling Club. His wife, Eileen, died on 5 January 2011.
London Olympics 2012
Godwin is an ambassador for the Olympic GamesSummer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 2012. On 27 July 2010 he appeared on the BBC One TV programme "London 2012: Two Years to Go", praising the new velodrome taking shape. He was interviewed by BBC presenter Sophie Raworth and showed his two Olympic bronze medals.