Eric Liddell

In 1934, after getting ordained a minister of religion, Liddell got married to a Canadian missionary, Florence Mackenzie. The couple had three daughters together - Patricia, Heather and Maureen.

During the Japanese attack on China, Liddell suffered from a mental breakdown due to an untreatable brain tumor and malnutrition. He died in 1945 in China.

Eric Liddell was born in Tientsin, north China to Reverend James Dunlop Liddell. His parents were Scottish missionaries with the London Missionary Society, stationed in China at the time he was born.

He went to Chinese schools until the age of five but was later sent to Eltham College, Mottingham—boarding school in England for the sons of missionaries. His parents used to visit him, with his sister and younger brother.

Liddell was a brilliant sportsman at school and was named the best athlete of the year and awarded the Blackheath Cup, which is why he was made the captain of both the cricket and rugby union teams.

While he was studying at the Oxford College in England, stories of him being the fastest runner in Scotland started to do the rounds. He was seen as the potential Olympic winner.

Not just a sportsman, Liddell was also a strongly principled Christian, which is why he was selected to speak at the Glasgow Students’ Evangelical Unit. In 1920, he enrolled himself at the University of Edinburgh to pursue Pure Science.

Liddell was triumphant in various British competitions, winning the shorter sprint distances at the Triangular International Contests from 1921-1923; the competition showcased athletes from Scotland, England and Ireland.

He was included in the British Olympic squad which was destined for the Olympics in Paris in 1924, and although he was a strong contender in the 100 meters event, due to his religious principles, Liddell refused to run on a Sunday.

He refused to run in the 100m heats, which were held on a Sunday and instead became a member of the squad designated to run in 400 meters, a distance which he could handle very well, but it was certainly not his specialty.

An great run won him not only a gold medal by a margin of some six meters, but also a world record of 47.6 seconds in the process was set.

In 1925, at the Scottish Amateur Athletics Association meeting in Glasgow, he set his Scottish championship record of 10.0 seconds in the 100, won the 220 yard contest in 22.2 seconds and won the 440 yard contest in 47.7.