Denis Cussen
Irish sprinter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Denis Cussen (19 July 1901 – 15 December 1980) was an Irish sprinter, rugby union player and doctor.[2] He competed in the men's 100 metres at the 1928 Summer Olympics.[3]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 19 July 1901 Newcastle West, County Limerick, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 15 December 1980 (aged 79) Richmond, London, England | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics and rugby union | ||||||||||||||||||||
Event | 100 metres | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Early life and education
Born in Newcastle West, County Limerick in Ireland,[3] Cussen was educated locally before attending Blackrock College in Dublin.[4] He played rugby union while at Blackrock College and won several Leinster Schools Rugby Senior Cups with the school.[4] He entered Trinity College Dublin in 1919 and, after studying medicine, qualified as a doctor in 1925.[4]
Rugby
Athletics
As a sprinter and jumper, Cussen won Irish titles in the 100 yards, 220 yards and long jump.[4] His 1928 Irish record of 9.8 seconds for 100 yards equalled the world record on grass.[5] He represented Ireland at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.[3]
Later life and death
Denis Cussen practised medicine in London and was later a medical adviser to Shell Oil.[4] According to his biography in the Dictionary of Irish Biography, he was a "pioneer in the new speciality of physical medicine" and was one of the founders of the British Association of Sport and Medicine.[4] Based in London in later life, Denis Cussen died at his home in Richmond on 15 December 1980.[4][6]
