Malcolm Spence (South African athlete)

{{short description|South African sprinter}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}

{{MedalTableTop|medals=

{{MedalSport | Men's athletics}}

{{MedalCountry | {{flag|South Africa|1928}} }}

{{MedalCompetition| Olympic Games}}

{{MedalBronze | 1960 Rome | 400 metres}}

{{MedalCompetition| British Empire and Commonwealth Games}}

{{MedalSilver| 1958 Cardiff | 440 yards}}

{{MedalGold| 1958 Cardiff | 4x440 yards relay}}

}}

Malcolm Clive Spence (4 September 1937 in Johannesburg – 30 December 2010) was a South African athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres. All sixteen of Malcolm Spence's great, great grandparents emigrated to South Africa from Kent, England.

He ran for South Africa in the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia, finishing sixth in the 400 meters. In the 1958 Commonwealth Games he won silver in the individual and gold in the relay.{{cite news|author=Chris Barron|date=30 January 2011|url=http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article881420.ece/Obituary--Malcolm-Spence--Humble-SA-track-star|newspaper=TimesLIVE|title=Obituary: Malcolm Spence: Humble SA track star|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016101419/http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article881420.ece/Obituary--Malcolm-Spence--Humble-SA-track-star|archive-date=16 October 2012}} He also represented his country in the 400 metres in the 1960 Summer Olympics held in Rome, Italy, where he won the bronze medal. Curiously, there were two people named Malcolm Spence running the 400 meters distance at the 1960 Olympics, both getting a bronze medal. Malcolm Spence from Jamaica was unable to get out of the semi-final round in the Open race. But the Jamaican, who shortened his name to Mal Spence, led off his British West Indian relay team which finished a second ahead of the South African relay team anchored by this Malcolm Spence.