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Sydney was a champion runner and achieved a remarkable feat in that he won a gold, silver and bronze medal at the 1900 Paris Olympics. Sydney was born in Denton in 1st August 1876, the oldest son of William and Rebecca Robinson who also had an older daughter and three younger daughters. William was both the postmaster and a carpenter and the family lived in Bedford Road probably in what is now Stone House next to the blacksmith shop (See also 'Delivering the Mail' section under Population and work). Sydney is also recorded as a carpenter in the 1901 census as, in those days, there were virtually no professional sportsmen. He died 3rd February 1959 in Long Sutton, Lincolnshire at the age of 82.
His gold came in the team 5000 metre race. In those days teams were allowed to come from different countries and under the banner of the Amateur Athletics Association team Sydney ran with two other Englishmen and an Australian! Sydney only came 6th out of a field of 10 but the team still won gold.
Arguably threrefore his silver and bronze individual medals in the 2500 and 4000 metre steeplechases respectively were his greater achievements. His time for the 2500 metres was 7 minutes 38 seconds.
He ran for Northampton Cycling and Athletics club and his personal best times came from 1898 (at the age of 22) when achieved 15 minutes 04 seconds for 3 miles up to 53 minutes 12 seconds for 10 miles.
It has to be said the Olympic Games in those days were a far cry from modern Games. The 1900 Games were the first to have women competing and then there were only 22 out of a total of 997 competitors. 24 nations competed in no less than 95 'sports' including tug-of-war, polo, golf, football, cricket and even equestiran high and long jump, swimming obstacle race and live pigeon shooting!
Nonetheless winning a medal of each colour was an achievement Sydney Robinson and his family could be justly proud of and Denton can claim a little reflected glory.
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