Bevil Gordon D'Urban Rudd (5 October 1894 – 2 February 1948) was a South African athlete, the 1920 Olympic Champion in the 400 metres.[1]

Bevil Gordon D'Urban Rudd
Personal information
Born(1894-10-05)5 October 1894
Kimberley, Northern Cape
Died2 February 1948(1948-02-02) (aged 53)
South Africa
Updated on 3 February 2016
Olympic medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  South Africa
Gold medal – first place 1920 Antwerp 400 metres
Silver medal – second place 1920 Antwerp 4x400 m relay
Bronze medal – third place 1920 Antwerp 800 metres

Biography

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Rudd was born in Kimberley. He was the son of Henry Percy Rudd and Mable Mina Blyth; paternal grandson of Charles Rudd, who co-founded the De Beers diamond mining company, and Frances Chiappini and maternal grandson of Captain Matthew Smith Blyth CMG, chief magistrate of the Transkei, and Elizabeth Cornelia Philpott.[citation needed]

During his schooling at St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown (Upper House)[2] he excelled both as a student and as an athlete, and he was granted a scholarship for the University of Oxford. Rudd served in the First World War, and was awarded a Military Cross for bravery.[3]

Rudd completed his studies in England, and returned to South Africa, working as a sports journalist.[citation needed]

He married Ursula Mary Knight, daughter of Clifford Hume Knight the Italian Consul to Cape Town, in 1926; they had at least two sons: Bevil John Blyth Rudd and Clifford Robin David Rudd, the South African Cricketer.[citation needed]

In 1930, he became an editor for The Daily Telegraph, a position he held until after the Second World War. Shortly after his return to South Africa, he died there at age 53.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Bevil Rudd". Olympedia. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  2. ^ Poland, Marguerite (2008). The Boy in You: A Biography of St. Andrew's College, 1855-2005. Fernwood Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-874950-86-8.
  3. ^ "No. 30801". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 July 1918. p. 8471.
  4. ^ "Bevil Gordon D'Urban Rudd". sprintic.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2016.