Grantley Thomas Smart Goulding (born March 23, 1874 in Hartpury, Gloucestershire - died 1944 in Umkomaas, Natal, South Africa) was a British athlete. He competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. Athletics has been contested at every Summer Olympics since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics. ... The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. ... The mens 110 metre hurdles was the only hurdling event on the Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics programme. ... March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in leap years). ... 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Gloucestershire (pronounced ; GLOSS-ter-sher) is a county in South West England. ... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Umkomaas, a small coastal town on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa was formed when a harbour was built in 1861, to export sugar, on the mouth of the navigable Mkhomazi River. ... Natal is a former British colony, and a South African province. ... The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. ... Nickname: City of Athena or Cradle of Democracy Location of the city of Athens (red dot) within the Prefecture of Athens and Periphery of Attica Coordinates: Country Greece Peripheries Attica Prefecture Athens Founded circa 2000 BC Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis Area    - City 38. ...

Personal life

Grantley Goulding was born into a rich Gloucestershire farming family. He later emigrated to South Africa and settled on the Natal coast. Natal is a former British colony, and a South African province. ...

Olympic career

Grantley Goulding established a local reputation in the Gloucestershire area when he won a number of races in the 1895 season. In a meeting at Gloucester he defeated the visiting South African champion but was less successful at the AAA championship where he finished last in his heat. Goulding competed in the 110 metres hurdles in Athens. He finished in first place in his preliminary heat with a time of 18.4 seconds, advancing to the final. In the final he faced only Thomas Curtis of the United States after two other finallists had withdrawn. A stumble from Goulding at the start of the race appears to have decisive as he although he gained ground on Curtis after halfway he could not close the gap.. At the end of the race, the officials declared that Curtis had won by a margin of a mere 5 centimetres. Both finished in 17.6 seconds. Thomas Curtis wrote in The Sportsman magazine in 1932 that Goulding "Stopped neither to linger or say farewell, but went straight from the stadium to the station and took the first train out of Athens". Hurdling is running over obstacles. ... Thomas Pelham Tom Curtis (September 7, 1870 - May 23, 1944) was an American athlete, winner of 110 m hurdles at the 1896 Summer Olympics. ... A centimetre (American spelling centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of length that is equal to one hundredth of a metre, the current SI base unit of length. ... Thomas Pelham Tom Curtis (September 7, 1870 - May 23, 1944) was an American athlete, winner of 110 m hurdles at the 1896 Summer Olympics. ...

References

• Lampros, S.P.; Polites, N.G.; De Coubertin, Pierre; Philemon, P.J.; & Anninos, C. (1897). The Olympic Games: BC 776 – AD 1896. Athens: Charles Beck.  (Digitally available at [1])