Kenneth Powell (sprinter)

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Kenneth Powell
Rajyotsava Award
(2018)

Kenneth Lawrence Powell (20 April 1940 – 11 December 2022), popularly known as "The Gentleman Sprinter",

Rajyotsava Award in 2018.[3][4]

Early life

Powell was born on 20 April 1940 in

Calcutta (present-day Kolkata).[5]

Career

Powell moved to Bangalore when he was 19, and joined the Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) Limited, where he was coached by the Rangers Athletics club's coach Krishna.[5][6] In an interview many years later, Powell would admit that his becoming an athlete was an accident. He set out to be a cricketer and was a fast bowler with ITI. Coach Benjamin Frank recommended that he pick up sprinting after seeing his ability to run fast.[7]

Powell was one of India's top athletes in the 1960s and was known to have had a healthy rivalry with

1964 Tokyo Olympics. In the same Olympics, he also represented the country in the 100 metres and the 200 metres sprint events. He was also a member of the team that won bronze at the 1970 Asian Games. He had previously been left off the squad for the 1966 Asian Games also in Bangkok.[5] During his career, Powell took home 19 sprinting titles from events all over India.[5]

Powell also represented Karnataka in the National Handball Championship in 1970 and also won the silver medal for the 40–44 age-group in the 100m event at the Asia Masters Athletics Championships in Singapore in 1981.[8] He was also a finalist in the 45–49 age-group event at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Melbourne.[9]

He was also known as The Gentleman Sprinter.[8] After working at the ITI, he was employed with the railways, and later with Tata Steel from where he retired in 1997.[10] Powell remained associated with athletics in Karnataka after his retirement. He had spoken out against the Kanteerava Stadium's state and had suggested a ban on use of the facilities for non-sporting purposes.[11]

Awards

Powell received the

Rajyotsava Award in 2018.[13]

Personal life and death

Powell was married to Daphne Powell (née Simon), who was also an athlete in her younger years.[8][6][10] The couple lived in the Cooke Town neighborhood of Bangalore.[6][14]

Powell died in Bangalore on 11 December 2022, at age 82.[8][5]

References

  1. ^ bhambra, abhijit (19 June 2021). "Milkha Singh was a simple man with a simple living, says Kenneth Powell, The Gentleman Sprinter". NEWS9LIVE. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  2. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Kenneth Powell Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Karnataka / Bangalore News : Athletes who almost made it". The Hindu. 13 August 2008. Archived from the original on 20 September 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  4. ^ "India at the Games". Sportstaronnet.com. 2 August 2008. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g PTI (11 December 2022). "Olympian and 1970 Asian Games medallist Kenneth Powell passes away". sportstar.thehindu.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  6. ^ from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Past masters, still burning bright". Deccan Herald. 7 April 2015. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e "'Gentleman sprinter' Kenneth Powell passes away". 11 December 2022. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  9. ^ "Olympian Kenneth Powell dies at 82". OnManorama. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  10. ^ a b Lazarus, Juliana (1 August 2010). "Anglos: A part and yet apart". Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Non-sporting events should be banned at stadium, says Olympian". Deccan Herald. 8 December 2012. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  12. ^ "A Gentleman champion who endeared all". Deccan Herald. 11 December 2022. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Karnataka Rajyotsava awards announced". Deccan Herald. 28 November 2018. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  14. ^ "A song for the road". Deccan Herald. 10 August 2010. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2022.

External links