Eric Liddell
Liddell at the British Empire versus U.S.A. relays meet held at Stamford Bridge in July 1924 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Eric Henry Liddell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Scottish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 16 January 1902 Tianjin, Qing Dynasty | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 21 February 1945 (aged 43) Weihsien Internment Camp, Shandong, Wang Jingwei Regime | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Florence Mackenzie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 daughters | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics, rugby union (7 tests) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 100 m, 200 m, 400 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | University of Edinburgh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | Great Britain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympic finals | 1924 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 埃里克·利德爾 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 埃里克·利德尔 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eric Henry Liddell (/ˈlɪdəl/; 16 January 1902 – 21 February 1945) was a Scottish sprinter, rugby player and Christian missionary. Born in Tianjin, China to Scottish missionary parents, he attended boarding school near London, spending time when possible with his family in Edinburgh, and afterwards attended the University of Edinburgh.
At the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, Lidell refused to run in the heats for his favoured 100 metres because they were held on a Sunday. Instead he competed in the 400 metres held on a weekday, a race that he won. He became ordained as a Congregational minister in 1932 and regularly taught bible classes at Morningside Congregational Church, Edinburgh. He returned to China in 1925 and served as a missionary teacher. Aside from two furloughs in Scotland, he remained in China until his death in a Japanese civilian internment camp in 1945.
Liddell's Olympic training and racing, and the religious convictions that influenced him, are depicted in the Oscar-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire, in which he is portrayed by fellow Scot and University of Edinburgh alumnus Ian Charleson.