Vic Matthews
British hurdler and decathlete
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Victor Charles Matthews (born 23 June 1934) is a British hurdler and decathlete who competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics.[1] Later he became a school teacher in New Zealand and a celebrated furniture maker.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Born | 23 June 1934 Motspur Park, London, England |
| Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| Weight | 76 kg (168 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | Decathlon/110 metres hurdles |
| Club | London Athletic Club |
Biography
Vic Matthews made his name as both a decathlete and hurdler as a teenager. He was the Surrey junior 120 yards hurdles champion in 1952 and 1953, and in the second of those years was third in the senior AAA decathlon behind Les Pinder in the decathlon event at the 1953 AAA Championships.[2].
Between 1955-59, Matthews won seven senior Surrey hurdles titles at both 120 and 220 yards, and in 1956 won the AAA decathlon title after finishing second to the non-British national, Gerald Brown at the 1956 AAA Championships but by virtue of being the highest placed 'local' athlete he was considered the British champion.[3]
Matthews represented the England athletics team[4] in the 120 yards hurdles at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales[5][6] he was eliminated in his 120 yards heat after finishing fourth. The following year he was the AAA 120 champion[7]. At the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, he represented Great Britain in the men's 110 metres hurdles.[8] In the heats Vic ran 14.9s and progressed to the quarter finals where he ran 15.0s[9].
In 1963 Vic, his wife Hilary, and his two sons Roger and Paul emigrated to New Zealand. They settled in Hamilton in the Waikato, where he worked as a woodwork and metalwork teacher at St Pauls Collegiate School[10]. He returned to the UK for one year (1975-6) to attend Loughborough University obtaining an honours degree in Design Education and a diploma in wood and metal crafts. Following this, he returned to his teaching position in Hamilton. He later became a well-known New Zealand designer and manufacturer of quality furniture[11]. Vic was commissioned to make a chair for the use of distinguished visitors attending the Senate Chamber of the New Australian Parliament Buildings, as a gift to Australia from the New Zealand Parliament[12]. The two other chairs on the Senate dais were also gifts, the Senate President's chair was a gift from the Canadian Parliament, and the chair used by the Governor-General at formal openings of Parliament or by the Sovereign was a gift from the British House of Commons.
