Olympian celebrates 100th birthday (From Western Telegraph)

Olympian celebrates 100th birthday

11:46pm Saturday 16th May 2009 in

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Britain's oldest Olympian was heralded as "phenomenal" at a party to celebrate his 100th birthday.

Godfrey Rampling was joined by family, friends and a fellow Olympian at his care home in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

The centenarian also holds the title of being the last surviving gold medallist from the 1936 Berlin Games.

Rampling ran a crucial fast second leg in the 4x400 metres relay to overtake the American favourites and claim the top prize.

Four years earlier he had to settle for silver as the British relay team finished second.

"It's all a question of people doing something and really feeling that they are getting something done," is how he described his success.

His daughter, film actress Charlotte Rampling, said he was a modest person.

"He's quite a silent man. I found out about his running quite late on when I was in my early teens. My mother kept all his press cuttings and I found out what he actually had done. He never really wanted to talk about it. Of all the things this man has done, he has never considered they are enough," she said.

Mr Rampling, born in Blackheath, south east London, spent 29 years in the Royal Artillery. He retired with the rank of Colonel - his nickname today - in 1958.

He said he did not mind all of the extra attention. "It's not too bad if you can think of something reasonable to say, something that makes people laugh."