Dave Cropper
{{short description|British middle-distance runner}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Dave Cropper
| image =
| caption =
| nationality = British (English)
| sport = Athletics
| event = Middle-distance running
| club = Berry Hill AC
Birchfield Harriers
| birth_date = {{birth date|1945|12|26|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Birmingham, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|12|3|1945|12|26|df=yes}}
| death_place = Solihull, England
| height =185 cm
| weight =73 kg
}}
David Cropper (26 December 1945 – 3 December 2016) was a British middle-distance runner. He competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics and the 1972 Summer Olympics.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/cr/dave-cropper-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418041445/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/cr/dave-cropper-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Dave Cropper Olympic Results |accessdate=18 October 2017}}
Biographyt
He was born in Birmingham and attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Mansfield.Nottingham Evening Post Thursday 21 February 1963, page 12 He grew up in Mansfield Woodhouse.Nottingham Evening Post Saturday 22 February 1964
At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, he represented Great Britain in the 800 metres event.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68986 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=11 May 2025}}
Cropper became the British 800 metres champion after winning the British AAA Championships title at the 1969 AAA Championships{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19690802/016/0016 |title=Shock victory by Irish middle-distance man |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=2 August 1969 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=15 May 2025}}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000729/19690803/157/0015 |title=White City results |work=The People |date=3 August 1969 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=15 May 2025}} Cropper participated in the 1969 European Athletics Championships in Athens.
Cropper was runner-up in the same event at both the 1971 AAA Championships and 1972 AAA Championships.{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=15 May 2025}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=15 May 2025}}
He married fellow athlete Pat Cropper in December 1971, they had one child and lived in Solihull. His wife's family lived on Clumber Road, in North Evington in Leicester.Leicester M Monday 17 July 1972, page 7
Cropper represented Great Britain again at the Olympic Games when competing in the 800 metres at the 1972 Olympics Games in Munich. After retiring as an athlete he became a well-known administrator and was chairman of the AAA from 1991 to 2004. He was awarded an OBE in 2005.
References
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Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Category:British male middle-distance runners
Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain
Category:People from Mansfield Woodhouse
Category:Sportspeople from Mansfield