Murray Watkinson

Murray Watkinson
Watkinson in 1964
Personal information
Born11 June 1939
Auckland, New Zealand
Died19 January 2004(2004-01-19) (aged 64)
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight84 kg (185 lb)
Sport
SportRowing
ClubWest End Rowing Club
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
World Rowing Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1970 St. Catharines Eight
European Rowing Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1971 Copenhagen Single sculls
British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 1962 Perth Double sculls

Murray Paul Watkinson (11 June 1939 – 19 January 2004) was a New Zealand rower. He competed at the 1964 and 1972 Summer Olympics in the single sculls and placed fifth and tenth, respectively. He won a European bronze medal in this event in 1971.[1][2]

Watkinson was born in 1939.[1] He started training at the West End Rowing Club in 1953 when he was 13 years old.[3] He won his first major title, a silver medal in the double sculls, at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, partnering with his brother Peter. At the 1964 European Rowing Championships in Amsterdam, he came fourth in the single sculls.[4] Two months later at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, he came fifth.[5] Watkinson competed as one of the favourites in single sculls at the 1967 European Rowing Championships in Vichy, France,[6] but did not reach the final.[7]

Watkinson's health declined during his later years. He was one of the few New Zealanders to have received a heart-liver transplant. He died in 2004.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Murray Watkinson". International Rowing Federation. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  2. ^ Heckert, Karlheinz. "Rudern – Europameisterschaften (Herren – Einer)" (in German). Sport Komplett. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  3. ^ a b Falconer, Phoebe (23 January 2004). "Obituary: Murray Watkinson". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  4. ^ "Bergau/Gorny Europameister im Zweier m. St. in Amsterdam". Neues Deutschland (in German). Vol. 19, no. 219. 10 August 1964. p. 3. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  5. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Murray Watkinson". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  6. ^ "Ruder-EM In Vichy eröffnet". Berliner Zeitung (in German). Vol. 23, no. 247. 8 September 1967. p. 11. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Rudertriumph der DDR". Neues Deutschland (in German). Vol. 22, no. 250. 11 September 1967. p. 5. Retrieved 7 February 2018.


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