Paul Dickenson

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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1949|12|04|df=yes}}

| birth_place = North Shields, Northumberland, England

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Derek Paul Dickenson (4 December 1949 – 26 November 2024) was an English hammer thrower.

Athletics career

Dickenson represented the United Kingdom at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1976 (Montreal). His best Olympic result was finishing in 14th place at the 1976 Summer Olympics, throwing 68.52 metres. He represented England in the hammer throw event, at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edmonton-1978/athletes|title=1978 Athletes|website=Team England}} Four years later he represented England in the hammer throw, at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/brisbane-1982/athletes|title=1982 Athletes|website=Team England}}{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/38609|title=Athletes and results|website=Commonwealth Games Federation}}

Personal life and death

A former schoolteacher, Dickenson worked in local government and the private sector before starting with BBC television. He commentated on every Olympic Games Winter and Summer from 1992. Best known for his commentary work on athletics he also worked on basketball, volleyball, weightlifting, canoe slalom, yachting, bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, cross country skiing, speed skating and ski jumping.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}} He was also the lead commentator, and occasional presenter, of the BBC's coverage of the World's Strongest Man events for over a decade.

Dickenson died at home on 26 November 2024, at the age of 74.{{cite news |title=Former BBC athletics commentator Dickenson dies aged 74 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/articles/cq52n69yq71o |access-date=27 November 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 November 2024}}

Personal bests

Distance	Mark	Date
class="wikitable"
Hammer throw	73.20 m	1976
Discus throw	50.78 m	1980

References

[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417191003/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/di/paul-dickenson-1.html sports-reference]
[http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/sport/pauldickenson.shtml BBC Reference]
[http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/hongrads/2005/dickenson.bspx Master of the University honoris causa]{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
[http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=8153 Sporting Heroes & Photo]
[http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Paul_Dickenson Gameshow commentary]
{{Power of 10 name|39320|Paul Dickenson}}

Category:1949 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:English male hammer throwers

Category:British male hammer throwers

Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1976 Summer Olympics

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

Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for England

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

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games

Category:Sportspeople from North Shields

Category:Track and field broadcasters

Category:BBC sports presenters and reporters