Lorne Atkinson(8 June 1921 – 23 April 2010) was a Canadiancyclist.[1]He competed infour eventsat the1948 Summer Olympics.[2]Nicknamed "Ace",[3]Atkinson spent his life involved in cycling in the Vancouver area.[4]

Lorne Atkinson
Personal information
Born(1921-06-08)8 June 1921
Vancouver, British Columbia,Canada
Died23 April 2010(2010-04-23)(aged 88)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Biography

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Atkinson was born inVancouver, British Columbiain 1921.[1]Atkinson's father was a Scottish professional cyclist, with Atkinson competing in races from when he was a teenager.[5]He soon earned the nickname "Ace" after winning a race and a newspaper printing a story with the headline of "City ace triumphs in Province Cup".[5]He became a junior provincial champion in 1939, and would go on to win four senior provincial titles and two national titles.[4]In 1946, Atkinson founded his business Ace's Cycles,[6]which he ran for more than 60 years.[3]

At the1948 Summer OlympicsinLondon,Atkinson competed in four events, two on the road and two on thetrack.[1][7]On the road, Atkinson rode in both theindividual road raceand theteam road race,but did not finish in either event.[8][9]On the track, he was eliminated in the first round of theteam pursuitevent,[10]and finished in 15th place in thetrack time trial.[11]

Following the Olympics, Atkinson competed at the1950 British Empire GamesinAuckland,and the1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Gamesin his hometown.[1]He was also the captain of the Canadian team that finished in fourth place in the 10-mile scratch event at the 1954 Games.[4]He was in charge of organising cycling events in Vancouver during the 1950s and 1960s,[12]becoming the president of the Vancouver Bicycle Club in 1962.[13]Five years later, he coached the Canadian team at the1967 Pan American GamesinWinnipeg.[4]

Atkinson was inducted into theBC Sports Hall of Famein 1997,[4]was awarded with theQueen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medalin 2002,[14]and won the British Columbia Community Achievement Award in 2006.[1]Just prior to his death, he was presented with theOlympic torchas part of therelayfor the2010 Winter Olympics.[4]He died in April 2010 at the age of 88.[15]

References

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  1. ^abcde"Lorne Atkinson".Olympedia.Retrieved14 May2022.
  2. ^"Lorne Atkinson Olympic Results".sports-reference.com.Archived fromthe originalon 18 April 2020.Retrieved17 July2014.
  3. ^ab"Lorne Ace Atkinson".Legacy.Retrieved14 May2022.
  4. ^abcdef"Lorne Atkinson kept cycling alive in postwar Vancouver".The Globe and Mail.Retrieved14 May2022.
  5. ^ab"Ace Cycles".Place That Matter.Retrieved14 May2022.
  6. ^"Ace Cycles: Owners: Jan Atkinson, George Inglis & Shay Inglis, Year Established: 1946".Kits on Broadway.Retrieved14 May2022.
  7. ^"Lorne Atkinson".Canadian Olympic Committee.Retrieved14 May2022.
  8. ^"Road Race, Individual, Men".Olympedia.Retrieved14 May2022.
  9. ^"Road Race, Team, Men".Olympedia.Retrieved14 May2022.
  10. ^"Team Pursuit, 4,000 metres, Men".Olympedia.Retrieved14 May2022.
  11. ^"1,000 metres Time Trial, Men".Olympedia.Retrieved14 May2022.
  12. ^"Lorne 'Ace' Atkinson".British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.Retrieved14 May2022.
  13. ^"The Suit Still Fits".Hero in You.Retrieved14 May2022.
  14. ^"Lorne Atkinson".BC Achievement Foundation.Retrieved14 May2022.
  15. ^"BC Cycling Legend Lorne" Ace "Atkinson Dies at 88".BC Randonneurs Cycling Club.Retrieved14 May2022.
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