David Russell Batten (13 December 1926 – 11 September 2013) was a New Zealand sprinter who won two bronze medals at the 1950 British Empire Games.
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth name | David Russell Batten | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | 13 December 1926 Christchurch, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||
| Died | 11 September 2013 (aged 86) Christchurch, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||
| Spouses | Barbara Alice Jones
(m. 1954; div. 1979)Joan Elizabeth Cornish
(m. 1980) | |||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||
| Country | New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||
| National finals | 100 yards, 1st (1947) 220 yards, 1st (1948, 1949, 1950, 1951) 440 yards, 1st (1949, 1950) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Early life and family
editBorn in Christchurch on 13 December 1926, Batten was the son of Rawhiti Eric (Raj) Batten and Maudie Batten (née Burnett).[1] He was educated at Christchurch Boys' High School.[2] In 1954 he married Barbara Alice Jones in Christchurch; the couple went on to have two children but later divorced.[1][3] In 1980 he married Joan Elizabeth Le Cren (née Cornish).[1]
Athletics
editBatten won national junior athletics titles over 100 yards and 220 yards in 1945. He then won seven senior national titles: the 100 yards in 1947; 220 yards in 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951; and the 440 yards in 1949 and 1950. He set a national junior record for 100 yards in 1945, and in 1950 he broke the New Zealand record over 220 yards.[4]
At the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, Batten won two bronze medals; one in the men's 440 yards, and one as part of the men's 440 yards relay alongside John Holland, Derek Steward and Jack Sutherland.[5] He also reached the semi-finals of the men's 220 yards.[4]
Death
editBatten died in Christchurch on 11 September 2013.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c Jones, Jenny Robin (2011). Catching Up with the Joneses. Feral. pp. 73–75. ISBN 978-0-473-20308-5.
- ^ Tutty, Kevin (17 May 2012). "School lists alumni who took part in Games". The Press. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Archway record". Archives New Zealand. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ a b c McKinnon, Murray (23 September 2013). "Athletics NZ weekly round-up 23 Sept". Athletics New Zealand. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Dave Batten". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.