Gary Knoke
Encyclopedia
Gary James Knoke was Australian Olympic Games
and Commonwealth Games
competing athlete who was ranked third in the world in 400 metre hurdling
during 1966.
(Rome
), 1964 Summer Olympics
(Tokyo
), 1968 Summer Olympics
(Mexico City
) and 1972 Summer Olympics
(Munich
). In Tokyo, on 16 October 1964, he was placed fourth in the 400 metre hurdles final behind Rex Cawley
of the United States of America, John Cooper of Great Britain
and Salvatore Morale
of Italy
. He attended the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
, 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
, 1970 British Commonwealth Games
, 1974 British Commonwealth Games
and the Pacific Conference Games
twice.
. During that time Newington won the Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools of New South Wales (GPS) junior athletics four times and the senior athletics once. In 1981 he joined the staff of the Australian Institute of Sport
as a hurdles coach. Knoke died in 1984 of cancer.
, is named in his honour. The Gary Knoke Memorial Scholarship is an award for track and field athletics presented annually by the Australian Institute of Sport
; recipients of this scholarship have included Simon Hollingsworth
, Rohan Robinson
and Kyle Vander Kuyp
.
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
and Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
competing athlete who was ranked third in the world in 400 metre hurdling
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
during 1966.
National representative
Knoke represented Australia at the 1960 Summer Olympics1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
(Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
), 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
(Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
), 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
(Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
) and 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
(Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
). In Tokyo, on 16 October 1964, he was placed fourth in the 400 metre hurdles final behind Rex Cawley
Rex Cawley
Warren Jay Cawley is a former American athlete, winner of 400 m hurdles at the 1964 Summer Olympics.Born in Highland Park, Michigan, Rex Cawley still holds the record time for the 100 yard dash at Farmington High School that he set in 1959...
of the United States of America, John Cooper of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Salvatore Morale
Salvatore Morale
Salvatore Morale was an Italian athlete who mainly competed in the 400 metre hurdles.He competed for an Italy in the 400 metre hurdles at the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan, where he won the bronze medal....
of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He attended the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Perth, Western Australia, Australia from 22 November-1 December 1962. Athletic events were held at Perry Lakes Stadium in the suburb of Floreat and swimming events at Beatty Park in North Perth....
, 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Kingston, Jamaica from 4 August to 13 August 1966. This was the first time that the Games had been held outside the so-called White Dominions....
, 1970 British Commonwealth Games
1970 British Commonwealth Games
The 1970 British Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland from 16 July to 25 July 1970.This was the first time the name British Commonwealth Games was adopted, the first time metric units rather than imperial units were used in events, and also the first time the games were held in...
, 1974 British Commonwealth Games
1974 British Commonwealth Games
The 1974 British Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch, New Zealand from 24 January to 2 February 1974. The bid vote was held in Edinburgh at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games....
and the Pacific Conference Games
Pacific Conference Games
The Pacific Conference Games were a quadrennial athletics competition, held between 1969 and 1985 and contested by Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the United States.The 1981 event was open to athletes from all nations....
twice.
World ranking
During his competitive career in the 400 Metre Hurdles, Knoke was ranked as follows:- 1964 - Seventh
- 1965 - Eighth
- 1966 - Third
- 1967 - Tenth
- 1968 - Ninth
- 1969 - Tenth
Teaching and coaching career
From 1974 until 1980, Knoke was a physical education teacher and athletics coach at Newington CollegeNewington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. During that time Newington won the Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools of New South Wales (GPS) junior athletics four times and the senior athletics once. In 1981 he joined the staff of the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
as a hurdles coach. Knoke died in 1984 of cancer.
Honours
Knoke Avenue in Gordon, Australian Capital TerritoryGordon, Australian Capital Territory
Gordon is a suburb in the Canberra, Australia district of Tuggeranong. The postcode is 2906. The suburb is named after the poet Adam Lindsay Gordon . It was gazetted on 12 March 1987...
, is named in his honour. The Gary Knoke Memorial Scholarship is an award for track and field athletics presented annually by the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
; recipients of this scholarship have included Simon Hollingsworth
Simon Hollingsworth
Simon Hollingsworth competed both nationally and internationally for Australia in the 400 metres hurdles. He participated in both the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games, as well as the Commonwealth Games and World Athletics Championships....
, Rohan Robinson
Rohan Robinson
Rohan Stuart Robinson is a retired Australian hurdler.His personal best time was 48.28 seconds, achieved in the 1996 Olympic final in Atlanta. This is the current Oceanian record.-Achievements:-References:...
and Kyle Vander Kuyp
Kyle Vander Kuyp
Kyle Vander Kuyp is an indigenous Australian athlete of the [Worimi & Yuin ] tribe of North and South Coast NSW...
.