Nick Winter

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Nick Winter

| image = Winter (Australie), recordman du monde du triple saut avec 15 m 525.jpg

| image_size =

| fullname = Anthony William Winter

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1894|8|25}}

| birth_place = Brocklesby, New South Wales, Australia

| death_date = {{death date and age|1955|5|6|1894|8|25|df=y}}

| death_place = Pagewood, New South Wales, Australia

| sport = Athletics

| event = Triple jump

| height =

| weight =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{AUS}} }}

}}

Anthony William "Nick" Winter (25 August 1894 – 6 May 1955) was an Australian sportsman. He won the gold medal in the triple jump at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, in the process setting a new world record. His medal-winning jump remained an Australian record until 1960.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/64828 |title=Nick Winter |work=Olympedia |access-date=1 October 2021}}

Early life

Winter was born on 25 August 1894 in Brocklesby, New South Wales, the son of Sarah Ann (née Boyton) and Anthony Winter. His father was a fettler. He attended a local public school and subsequently worked as a labourer. In 1915, Winter enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. He served in Egypt with the 7th Light Horse Regiment and in France with the Australian Army Service Corps. He returned to Australia in June 1919 and from December 1920 worked as a fireman in Manly.{{cite news|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/winter-anthony-william-9156|title=Winter, Anthony William (1894–1955)|first=Ian F.|last=Jobling|year=1990|work=Australian Dictionary of Biography|publisher=Melbourne University Press}}

Sporting career

Winter was a member of several amateur athletics clubs in Sydney. In December 1919 he set a new Australian record for the triple jump of {{convert|47|ft|7|in|m}}. He represented Australia at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, winning the gold medal in the triple jump competition with a new world record of {{convert|50|ft|11.25|in|m}}. The previous record had stood since 1911. Winter's record-breaking jump was set barefoot, as he had badly bruised his heels on a previous attempt. It was his third and last jump in the final, and came after he had fouled on the previous jump.{{cite news|first=Harry|last=Gordon|year=2004|url=https://www.athletics.com.au/hall-of-fame-directory/anthony-nick-winter/|title=Anthony 'Nick' Winter (1894-1955) |publisher=Athletics Australia|access-date=4 June 2021}} His jump remained an Australian record until 1960.{{cite news|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/nick-winter/|title=Nick Winter|publisher=Sport Australia Hall of Fame|access-date=4 June 2021}}

Winter was one of three gold medallists from Manly in 1924, along with Boy Charlton and Dick Eve. His event was not widely contested in Australia at the time and was not yet included in the Australian Athletics Championships. Winter returned at the 1928 Summer Olympics at the age of 33, but placed 12th in the triple jump. In 1930, aged 35, he was the inaugural Australian triple jump champion, also finishing runner-up in 1932 in his last competition.

Outside of the triple jump, Winter was a talented all-round sportsman, participating in rugby league, cricket, tennis, golf, wrestling, and solo tug-of-war. He was a talented billiards player and was the runner-up in the New South Wales state championships in 1927.

Later life

Winter left the fire service in 1927. He later ran a tobacconist's shop and managed billiards halls in George Street and Pitt Street, Sydney. According to The Canberra Times, he was "well known in Canberra, having conducted a hairdressing saloon at Kingston for several years".{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/91200564|title=Inquest On Nick Winter|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=11 June 1955}}

=Death=

Winter was found dead in the bathroom of his home in Pagewood on 7 May 1955. It was reported that police believed he had a heart attack while attempting to light a gas water heater, and that "he died either from the heart attack or from gas poisoning".{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/91198110|title='Nick' Winter found dead|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=9 May 1955}} A coronial inquest found that he died of carbon monoxide poisoning and returned an open verdict. His son regarded suicide as unlikely.

Honours

Winter was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986.

References

External links

[http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120609b.htm?hilite=Winter ADB biography]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20071020152641/http://www.athletics.com.au/history/athletes/athlete270.htm Profile]
[http://www.athletics.com.au/fanzone/hall_of_fame/nick_winter Athletics Australia]

{{succession box|before={{flagicon|USA}} Dan Ahearn|title=Men's Triple Jump World Record Holder|years=1924-08-12 – 1931-10-27|after={{flagicon|JPN}} Mikio Oda}}

Category:1894 births

Category:1955 deaths

Category:Australian male triple jumpers

Category:Olympic gold medalists for Australia

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1924 Summer Olympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1928 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic athletes for Australia

Category:World record setters in athletics (track and field)

Category:Medalists at the 1924 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field)

Category:Accidental deaths in New South Wales

Category:Deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning