Frank Salvat
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Born | 30 October 1934 Edgware, England |
| Died | 24 April 2013 (aged 78) Brighton, England |
| Height | 171 cm (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 59 kg (130 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | middle/long distance |
| Club | Finchley Harriers |
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.[1]
Biography
Salvat was born in Edgware and was a magazine designer in London.[2]
Salvat became the British 3 miles champion after winning the British AAA Championships title at the 1960 AAA Championships.[3][4][5] He competed in international events, running for Great Britain against France in the 5,000m at White City and in the Olympics later that year. He was a member of Finchley Harriers, now Hillingdon Athletic Club, in northwest London.[6]
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.
- ^ "Salvat hits the road to Rome". Weekly Dispatch (London). 17 July 1960. Retrieved 4 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ "AAA Championships (men)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ "Frank Salvat". Hillingdon Athletic Club. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
External links
- Salvat in action at the AAA at White City, 1960 on the Pathé news website