Martin Girvan

Martin Girvan (born 17 April 1960) is a British former athlete who specialised in the hammer throw. He represented both Great Britain and Northern Ireland in international competition.

Martin Girvan
Personal information
Birth nameMartin Girvan
Born (1960-04-17) 17 April 1960
Southend-on-Sea, England
Height1.94 m (6 ft 4+1⁄2 in)
Weight118 kg (260 lb)
Sport
Country Great Britain
 Northern Ireland
SportAthletics
ClubWBAC, Wolverhampton
Medal record
Men's Athletics
Representing  Northern Ireland
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place1982 BrisbaneHammer throw
Silver medal – second place1986 EdinburghHammer throw

Career

Girvan had a personal best throw of 77.54m, set in Wolverhampton 1984, breaking both the British and Commonwealth records.[1] His British record stood for 31-years.[2]

He competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and finished ninth in the final. His best attempt of 72.32m was registered with his second throw.[3]

In addition to his Olympic appearance he also won silver medals at the 1982 and 1986 Commonwealth Games.[4]

Claims on doping

Outspoken against drugs in sport, in the late 1980s he made allegations of drug taking and cover-up in athletics. Girvan claimed that earlier in the decade, in order to test suspicions he had, he asked British athletics official Andy Norman prior to testing at a meet in Crystal Palace that his results would be "embarrassing", which he says prompted Norman to organise for his urine sample to be switched with another.[5][6]

In another allegation, Girvan stated that leading hammer thrower Yuriy Sedykh once advised him on what type of drugs to take, during a coaching seminar.[7][8]

Both Norman and Sedykh denied the allegations.[5][8]

References
  1. "Chris Evert Lloyd beaten at last - On This Day". ESPN.co.uk. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  2. "Nick Miller breaks 31-year-old British hammer record". BBC Sport. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  3. "Athletics at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games: Men's Hammer Throw". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  4. McDowell, Jim (22 July 2002). "CommonWealth Games: Golden moments and silver linings". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  5. "College Football North Carolina Selects Tulane`s Brown As Coach". Sun-Sentinel. 17 December 1987. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  6. "Man who turned blind eye to cheats". Herald Scotland. 25 October 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  7. Hersh, Phil (20 June 1988). "Coe Runs British Reports Of His Demise Into Ground". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  8. Gillon, Doug (20 June 1988). "Soviet hammer men stay away". The Glasgow Herald. p. 5. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
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