David Ottley

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Dave Ottley

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| nationality = British (English)

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|08|05|df=yes}}

| birth_place = West Thurrock, Essex, England

| death_date =

| death_place =

| sport = Athletics

| event = Javelin

| height = 186 cm

| weight = 95 kg

| club = Telford/Thurrock Harriers

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport | Men's Athletics}}

{{Medal|Country | {{GBR2}} }}

{{Medal|Country | {{ENG}} }}

}}

David Charles Ottley (born 5 August 1955) is a retired British athlete who mainly competed in the men's javelin throw event. He competed at three Olympic Games.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69363 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=7 June 2025}}

Biography

Ottley finished second behind Peter Maync in the Javelin event at the 1976 AAA Championships but by virtue of being the highest placed British athlete was considered the British javelin throw champion.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19760814/365/0016 |title=Wells is top UK Sprinter |work=The Scotsman |date=14 August 1976 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=7 June 2025}} The followng year he won the title outright at the 1977 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=7 June 2025}}

Ottley represented England, at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edmonton-1978/athletes|title=1978 Athletes|website=Team England}} before going to his first Olympic Games in 1980. At the 1980 Olympics Games in Moscow, he represented Great Britain in the javelin throw event.

After two second place finishes in the AAAs, and then two third place finishes (the latter as the highest placed British athlete) he won the 1982 AAA Championships to continue his domination as Britain's leading javelin thrower.{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=7 June 2025}} A second Commonwealth Games appearance for England ensued at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/brisbane-1982/athletes|title=1982 Athletes|website=Team England}}

His finest moment came when he won a silver medal in the Javelin event at 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He won three consecutive AAAA titles from 1984 to 1986 and represented England for a third time at the Commonwealth Games, winning a gold medal at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edinburgh-1986/athletes|title=1986 Athletes|website=Team England}}{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/38914|title=Athletes and results|website=Commonwealth Games Federation}}

Ottley won his sixth and last AAA title at the 1988 AAA Championships, the same year that he went to a third Olympic Games in Seoul. Altogether he won six AAA titles and was British champion ten times and he paved the way for the likes of Mick Hill and Steve Backley. Additionally he won five UK Athletics Championships from 1978 to 1982.

Personal life

Ottley is referenced In "The Boy Who Cried Rat" episode of Good Morning Miss Bliss, in which Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins) proclaims that nobody remembers second place, referencing the javelin throw of 1984 Summer Olympics. Miss Bliss however correctly identifies that the silver medallist was indeed Ottley.{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}

Ottley now resides in Shropshire, having moved home from Essex to Telford,{{cite book|last=Elderwick|first=David|title=50 Shropshire Celebrities, Past and Present|year=1989|publisher=IMPRINT, Newtown, Wales|page=47}} and has two children.

International competitions

{{AchievementTable}}
colspan="5"\|Representing {{GBR2}} and {{ENG}}
1984 \|Olympic Games \|Los Angeles, United States \|bgcolor="silver"\| 2nd \|85.74 m
1986 \|Commonwealth Games \|Edinburgh, United Kingdom \|bgcolor="gold"\| 1st \|80.62 m
1987 \|World Championships \|Rome, Italy \|9th \|77.64 m

colspan="5"|Representing {{GBR2}} and {{ENG}}

1984

|Olympic Games

|Los Angeles, United States

|bgcolor="silver"| 2nd

|85.74 m

1986

|Commonwealth Games

|Edinburgh, United Kingdom

|bgcolor="gold"| 1st

|80.62 m

1987

|World Championships

|Rome, Italy

|9th

|77.64 m

References

[http://www.olympics.org.uk/athleterecord.aspx?at=2399 Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830160852/http://www.olympics.org.uk/athleterecord.aspx?at=2399 |date=30 August 2007 }}
{{World Athletics}}

Category:Living people

Category:1955 births

Category:People from West Thurrock

Category:English male javelin throwers

Category:British male javelin throwers

Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain

Category:Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics

Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 Commonwealth Games