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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XYZ ALL NAMES
W.
WILKES, RODNEY
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XYZ ALL NAMES
W.
WILKES, RODNEY
Rodney Wilkes
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BIOGRAPHY
Born 11 March 1925; died 24 March 2014. Trinidad and Tobago's most successful weightlifter, Rodney Adolphus Wilkes was the first Trinidad competitor to win an Olympic medal. Lifting in the featherweight class he first drew attention in 1942 when he placed 2nd to James Cabe. During his hey-day he was never to taste defeat at the hands of anyone in local competition. Later that year he established three local records for his division: 170 lb. for the press, 175 lb. for the snatch and 225 lb. clean and jerk. Although he remained unbeaten over the next year three years, his ability was unknown until 1946, when at the CAC games, Barranquilla; he captured the gold medal with record lifts of 205 lb. (press), 210 lb. (snatch) and 275 lb. (clean and Jerk). A year later he went to the World Weightlifting Championships at Philadelphia, but maybe his arrival just one day before the competition disoriented him and he was very disappointing. Selected for the Olympic Games in London, 1948, he exceeded his efforts of two years earlier with a total of 317.5 Kilos (6993/4 lb.) but went under to the Egyptian Mahmoud Fayad whose aggregate was an incredible 332.5 kg (733 lb.), a new Olympic and World record. Nevertheless Rodney had clinched Trinidad's first ever Olympic medal at the country's first participation in those games. Following the games he was crowned British Empire champion with lifts of 2143/4 lb. each (Press and Snatch) and 270 lb. (clean and Jerk). His next big appearance was in 1950 at Guatemala, where, despite and injured wrist, he won with a total of 685 lb. |
The following year the Pan Am Games were staged in Buenos Aries, Argentina and he took the gold medal with a total of 716 lb. This brought him a step away from the next Olympics, venue for which was Helsinki, Finland. In those games he met two Russians, one of whom, Nikolay Saksonov, equalled Fayad's 332.5 kg total but could only gain a silver medal. The winner, Rafael Chiminshkyan added 5 kg. (11 lb) to the world record for a 774 lb. aggregate, leaving Wilkes the loser by 33 lb. and with the bronze medal.
After a brief period of retirement in 1953, he decided to return and defend his B.E. title in Vancouver, August 1954. He was successful with lifts of 200 lb. (press), 251 lb. (snatch) and a record 275 lb. (clean and Jerk). In December that year at the local championships he set two records. He increased the clean and jerk to 280 lb., while the 705lb. total was also a local best. He was selected Sportsman of the Year 1954. The 1956 Olympics seemed an exciting prospect for him and in April that year he equalled his clean and jerk record. In July, at the Senior Weightlifting Championships he set a new British Empire press record of 222 lb. and equalled the 705 lb. total. This brought him an invitation to journey to Melbourne, Australia. Again the Olympics brought out the best in him. He grossed 7271/2 lb., his best ever, but could only place fourth, as the winner; Isaac Berger (USA) increased the Games record total to 777 lb.
Now a veteran at the sport, his career began its downward slide. He remained sufficiently in the limelight to be included in the Caribbean Weightlifting Championships in 1960, the year of the Rome Olympics. He suffered a rare defeat and failed to make, what on that occasion was a West Indies contingent. This time his retirement was final. South has always been proud of its heroes and one of its sons, who earned the sobriquet "mighty midget", has always been held dear to the region. In 1984 the Borough of San Fernando honoured him in his capacity as electrician.
After a brief period of retirement in 1953, he decided to return and defend his B.E. title in Vancouver, August 1954. He was successful with lifts of 200 lb. (press), 251 lb. (snatch) and a record 275 lb. (clean and Jerk). In December that year at the local championships he set two records. He increased the clean and jerk to 280 lb., while the 705lb. total was also a local best. He was selected Sportsman of the Year 1954. The 1956 Olympics seemed an exciting prospect for him and in April that year he equalled his clean and jerk record. In July, at the Senior Weightlifting Championships he set a new British Empire press record of 222 lb. and equalled the 705 lb. total. This brought him an invitation to journey to Melbourne, Australia. Again the Olympics brought out the best in him. He grossed 7271/2 lb., his best ever, but could only place fourth, as the winner; Isaac Berger (USA) increased the Games record total to 777 lb.
Now a veteran at the sport, his career began its downward slide. He remained sufficiently in the limelight to be included in the Caribbean Weightlifting Championships in 1960, the year of the Rome Olympics. He suffered a rare defeat and failed to make, what on that occasion was a West Indies contingent. This time his retirement was final. South has always been proud of its heroes and one of its sons, who earned the sobriquet "mighty midget", has always been held dear to the region. In 1984 the Borough of San Fernando honoured him in his capacity as electrician.
DOCUMENTS
TIMELINE
FILM/VIDEO RECORDINGS
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PHOTOGRAPHS
Rodney Wilkes in action.
(Left to right) Standing: Mannie Ramjohn, Wilfred Tull, Albert Browne (Coach), Compton Gonsalves, George Lewis, Rodney Wilkes
Sitting: Laurie Rogers (Official), Sir Arthur Creech-Jones (British Secretary of State for the Colonies), Errol Knowles (Manager). SOURCE: bestoftrinidad.com
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Rodney Wilkes wins a silver medal at the 1948 Olympic Games in London.
Rodney Wilkes. Source: bestoftrinidad.com
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Wilkes Under Sun Lamp
Weightlifter Rodney Wilkes, from Trinidad and Tobago, relaxes under a sun lamp at the Olympic village in Richmond, Surrey, during the London Olympics, 1948. Wilkes won the silver medal in the Featherweight class. (Photo by Jack Esten/Paul Popper/Popperfoto/Getty Images) |
London Olympic Games 1948 - Weightlifting - Earls Court
Competitors in the featherweight division of the weightlifting competition line up l-r; (not exact) A Fiorentino (Argentina), Anton Richter (Austria), H Colans (Belgium), Correia (British Guiana), T Maung (Burma), L Dessouki (Egypt), M Fayad (Egypt), J Saimassi (Iran), A Guillerm (France), O Andersson (Sweden), P Daniel (India), B Nagy (Hungary), S Williams (Jamaica), Hang Kee Choi (Korea), Su Il Nam (Korea), R Rosario (Philippines), J Runge (Denmark), R Rieder (Switzerland), R Wilkes (Trinidad), K Ishikawa (USA), K Tomita (USA), D Hallett (Great Britain), and S Kemble (Great Britain). (Photo by Barratts/PA Images via Getty Images) |
Rodney Adolphus Wilkes and Laura Denise Ramsay-Overall. SOURCE: ttowf.weebly.com.
Rodney Adolphus Wilkes. Laura Denise Ramsay-Overall. Laurence C Carbon. SOURCE: ttowf.weebly.com.
Rodney Wilkes Memorial Bust in San Fernando. SOURCE: ttwof.weebly.com
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Rodney Wilkes
Rodney Adolphus Wilkes and Laura Denise Ramsay-Overall. SOURCE: ttowf.weebly.com.
Rodney Wilkes Memorial Bust in San Fernando, Trinidad. SOURCE: ttowf.weebly.com
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Rodney Wilkes
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COMPETITIONS & RESULTS
- 1946 Central American and Caribbean Games, Barranquilla, Columbia - 1st (312.9kg)
- 1947 World Championships, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA - ...
- 1948 Olympics, London, England - 2nd (317.5kg)
- 1950 Central American and Caribbean Games, Guatemala City, Guatemala - 1st (310.7kg)
- 1951 Pan American Games, Buenos Aires, Argentina - 1st (325kg)
- 1952 Olympics, Helsinki, Finland - 3rd (322.5kg)
- 1954 British Commonwealth Games, Vancouver, Canada - 1st (313kg)
- 1956 Olympics, Melbourne, Australia - 4th (330kg)
- 1958 British Commonwealth Games, Cardiff, Wales - 3rd (304kg)
NATIONAL AWARD:
- 1972 - Trinidad & Tobago Humming Bird Medal Gold (for Sport)
VIDEOS
ADDITIONAL SOURCES
- End of an era for T&T Weightlifting (multiples mentions)
- Sando mayor: We will retrieve them
- Honour first Olympic medallist by building promised gym
- London in 1948 - Weightlifting
- Outstanding Nationals
- Rodney Wilkes". sports-reference.com. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- TT's first Olympic medallist passes away. Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 25 March2014.
- Jump up to:a b c d "Rodney Wilkes' Bio firstsports.net. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- Rodney Wilkes Biography Caribbean Hall of Fame. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- Weightlifting at the 1948 London Summer Games: Men's Featherweight sports-reference.com. Retrieved 29 April2010.
- Weightlifting at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games: Men's Featherweight sports-reference.com. Retrieved 29 April2010.
- Weightlifting at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games: Men's Featherweight sports-reference.com. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
