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Paul Nihill

Paul Nihill
MBE
Nihill (left) at the 1964 Olympics
Personal information
Born5 September 1939 (1939-09-05)
Colchester, Essex, England
Died15 December 2020(2020-12-15) (aged 81)[1]
Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham, Kent, England
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight66 kg (146 lb)
Sport
SportRace walking
ClubSurrey Walking Club
Croydon and Medway
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)1:24:50 (20 km, 1972)
4:11:31 (50 km, 1964)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1964 Tokyo 50 km walk
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1969 Athens 20 km walk
Bronze medal – third place 1971 Helsinki 20 km walk

Vincent Paul Nihill MBE (5 September 1939 – 15 December 2020) was a British race walker who competed at four Olympic Games.

Biography

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Nihill competed in the 50 km event at the 1964, 1968 and 1972 Olympics, and won a silver medal in 1964. In 1968 he suffered from the high altitude conditions of Mexico and collapsed at the 44th kilometre,[2] which was his only defeat in 86 races between 1967 and 1970. After that he focused on the 20 km distance, and won a European title in this event in 1969, followed by a bronze medal in 1971. In July 1972 he set a world record in the 20 km, but finished only sixth at the 1972 Olympics. He also competed in the 20 km walk in the 1976 Olympics, before retiring the following year.[3]

Nihill was a four-time British 2 miles/3000m race walk champion and a four-time British 7 miles/10,000m race walk champion.[4] After finishing third behind Ken Matthews at the 1963 AAA Championships[5] he would go on to secure his eight titles in 1965 (x2), 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970,[6][7] 1971 and 1975.[8]

Nihill became the Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1976. He died at the Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham, Kent, on 15 December 2020, after contracting COVID-19 amid the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[9]

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paul Nihill.
  1. ^ "Race walking legend Paul Nihill dies". AW. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  2. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Athletics at the 1968 Ciudad de México Summer Games: Men's 50 kilometres Walk". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  3. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Paul Nihill". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  4. ^ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Berwyn Jones wins sprint title". Sunday Mirror. 14 July 1962. Retrieved 8 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Howard's final fling brings victory over foreign pair". Birmingham Daily Post. 8 August 1970. Retrieved 18 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Big shock for Ian". The People. 9 August 1970. Retrieved 18 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "AAA Championships (men)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Olympic silver medallist Nihill dies after contracting COVID-19". InsideTheGames.biz. 3 January 2021.
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Records
Preceded by Men's 20km Walk World Record Holder
30 July 1972 – 30 May 1976 		Succeeded by