Frank Salvat
Frank George John Salvat (30 October 1934 – 24 April 2013) was a British athlete who represented Great Britain in the 5,000m the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, finishing seventh in his heats. He was born in Edgware.[1]
Salvat was a magazine designer in
Athletics agent Eric Shirley Jr, whose father Eric Shirley was Salvat's training partner, said: "He was an amazing man with an amazing amount of charisma. His pre-race diet, two hours before he competed, even at the very highest international level, would be a pie and a pint. It's not unknown for him to start a race with a brandy glass in his hand, hand it over to someone, and even have a cigar waiting for him at the end."[2]
Salvat died in poverty in Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex on 24 April 2013.[1] Nobody claimed his body after his death and he would have had a pauper's funeral, but pubs and businesses in Hurstpierpoint, as well as his former athletics club, raised money for a funeral and a wake.[2]
References
- ^ a b Gjerde, Arild; Jeroen Heijmans; Bill Mallon; Hilary Evans (June 2013). "Frank Salvat Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics. Sports Reference.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
- ^ a b c "Olympian Frank Salvat saved from pauper's burial", BBC News, 7 June 2013
- ^ Frank Salvat, Hillingdon Athletic Club website. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
External links
- Salvat in action at the AAA at White City, 1960 on the Pathé news website
 | This biographical article relating to English athletics is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |