Eric Liddell: The untold story of the Olympian's final years
Eric Liddell was a rugby player, sprinter, and Christian missionary from Scotland. His athletic achievements, especially in the Olympics, and the religious ideas that drove him are documented in the Oscar-winning 1981 movie Chariots of Fire, where Ian Charleson plays his character.
Source: Getty Images
Eric Liddell rose to prominence at the University of Edinburgh as the fastest racer in Scotland. Newspapers reported his achievements at track events, and several pieces believed that he could become an Olympics winner someday at the time.
Eric Liddell's profile summary
| Full name | Eric Henry Liddell |
| Famous as | Eric Liddell |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 16 January 1902 |
| Date of death | 21 February 1945 |
| Age at the time of death | 43 years old |
| Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
| Place of birth | Tientsin, Qing China |
| Place of death | Weihsien Internment Camp, Japanese China |
| Nationality | British |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height in feet | 5'8" |
| Height in centimetres | 173 |
| Weight in pounds | 149 |
| Weight in kilograms | 68 |
| Hair colour | Blonde |
| Eye colour | Blue |
| Marital status | Married |
| Wife | Florence Mackenzie |
| Children | Maureen, Patricia, Heather |
| Father | James Dunlop Liddell |
| Mother | Mary Reddin |
| Siblings | Jenny Liddell Somerville, Robert Victor, Ernest Liddell |
| Education | Eltham College, Tianjin No.20 High School, University of Edinburgh |
| Profession | Athlete, rugby player, missionary |
| Net worth | $1 million–$5 million |
Eric Liddell's bio
The Scottish rugby player was born in Tientsin, Qing, China, to his parents, Mary Reddin and James Dunlop Liddell. His father, James, devoted his entire life to serving as a missionary with the London Missionary Society in China. Eric grew up alongside his three siblings; Jenny Liddell Somerville, Robert Victor, and Ernest Liddell.
Source: Getty Images
Educational background
Eric attended school in China till he was five years old. At six, he and his elder brother Robert enrolled in Eltham College, a boarding institution in south London primarily for the sons of missionaries. The famous personality attended the University of Edinburgh to pursue Pure Science in 1920.
How old was Eric Liddell when he died?
He was 43 years old at the time of his death. Eric died on 21 February 1945. He was born on 16 January 1902, and his zodiac sign was Capricorn.
Career
What happened to Eric Liddell in China? His first missionary assignment was at the Anglo-Chinese College, which catered to wealthy Chinese students. He believed in the school's goal and commenced lecturing mathematics and science there in 1925.
He also used his athletic background to coach boys in various sports. Henry was also a short-distance runner. In the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, he competed in the 200 metres, where he won a bronze medal, and the 400 metres, where he won a gold medal.
What was Eric Liddell's net worth?
The renowned Scottish runner had an alleged net worth of between $1 million and $5 million at the time of his death. He earned his income through his athletic, teaching, and coaching career.
Eric Liddell's wife and children
The Scottish missionary married his wife Florence Mackenzie in 1934 in Tianjin, China, and they had three daughters; Maureen, Patricia and Heather Liddell. Their marriage ended on 21 February 1945 after the death of Eric Liddell.
They were in marriage for eleven years. Florence Mackenzie, his wife, later died on 14 June 1984 at 72 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
What happened to Eric Liddell's family?
Due to the Japanese invasion, living in China was challenging in 1941 and the British authorities encouraged British citizens to flee. Florence, expectant with Maureen and the kids, fled to Canada to be with her relatives. At the same time, Liddell secured an assignment at a rural mission station in Xiaozhang that helped the impoverished.
Famous Eric Liddell's quotes
Source: Getty Images
The Scottish racer made many exceptional quotes. Eric's quotations show how he discovered glory in his missionary work and running. Some of his quotes include;
- God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.
- Each of us is in a more significant race than any I have run in Paris, and this race ends when God gives out the medals.
- Many of us are missing something in life because we are after the second best.
- If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race.
- Glory can be found in the dust of defeat and the laurels of victory if one has done his best.
- We are all missionaries. Wherever we go, we either bring people nearer to Christ or we repel them from Christ.
- If God does not guide you, you will be driven by something or someone else.
- Obedience to God's will is the secret of spiritual knowledge and insight
How tall was Eric Liddell?
He was 5 feet 8 inches or 172 centimetres and weighed approximately 149 pounds or 68 kilograms. In addition, he had blonde hair and blue eyes.
FAQs
- How fast did Eric Liddell run the 400? He completed the race in 47.6 seconds.
- What happened to Eric Liddell after the Olympics? He went to China a year after the Olympics to perform missionary work with his dad.
- Why did Eric Liddell refuse to run? He refused to compete in his preferred 100-meter heats since they were staged on a Sunday. Instead, he raced in a weekday 400m event, which he won.
- How old was Eric Liddell when he went to Russia? The renowned celebrity did not travel to Russia.
- How long did Eric Liddell live? He was alive for 43 years. He was born on 16 January 1902. He died on 21 February 1945.
- Did Eric Liddell have a family? He had a wife, Florence Mackenzie, and three children; Maureen, Patricia and Heather.
- Where did Eric Liddell die? He died in Weihsien Internment Camp, Japanese China.
Eric Liddell was a short-distance runner, rugby player, and Christian missionary from Scotland. He was married to Florence Mackenzie, and together they had three children; Maureen, Patricia and Heather.
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