Jules Noël
Encyclopedia
Jules Noël was a French athlete who competed in discus
and shot put
at two European Athletics Championships and three Olympic Games
.
, Pas-de-Calais, France
. He joined the French Army
and rose to the rank of Sergeant.
in Amsterdam
. Though he finished some way off the medal positions he went on to break the French discus record in the trials for the 1932 Summer Olympics
, throwing 49.44 m. He travelled to the Games in Los Angeles, California
and led out the team in the opening ceremony as the French flag bearer. The French team convinced the U.S. officials that wine was an essential part of their competitors' diets, receiving special permission to circumvent the prohibition in force across the country
. Noël took full advantage of this and is reported as "swigging champagne with his compatriots" in the locker room between rounds at the discus event
. There was then further controversy when Noël finished in fourth place: the officials in charge of the event disallowed a throw that is believed to have been farther than gold medal winner John Anderson
's 49.39 m attempt. The throw was not accepted because the officials did not see where it landed, their attention being drawn to the pole vault
ing competition instead. Noël was allowed an additional attempt but could not match his earlier performance, reaching 47.74 m and finishing fourth. Anderson went on to improve his distance to 49.49 m, an Olympic record.
Noël went on to compete at the inaugural European Athletics Championships in 1934 in Turin
, Italy
, finishing seventh in the discus and tenth in the shot put. The 1936 Olympic Games
were held in Berlin
and Noël was again selected as the flag bearer for his country. Noël returned to European competition at the 1938 Championships in Paris
, again finishing seventh in the discus and improving to ninth in the shot put.
from a wound sustained during a battle outside Escaudœuvres
near Cambrai
.
Discus
Discus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
and shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
at two European Athletics Championships and three Olympic Games
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...
.
Biography
Jules Noël was born on 27 January 1903 in Norrent-FontesNorrent-Fontes
Norrent-Fontes is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Norrent-Fontes is situated some northwest of Béthune and west of Lille, at the junction of the D94 and D91 roads. The A26 autoroute passes through the commune.-History:Known to the...
, Pas-de-Calais, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He joined the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
and rose to the rank of Sergeant.
Career
After an impressive silver medal at the Championnats de France d'athlétisme, a competition in which he would achieve 19 medals including 13 golds over the next 12 years, Noël was selected for the French Olympic discus team for the 1928 Games1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Though he finished some way off the medal positions he went on to break the French discus record in the trials for the 1932 Summer Olympics
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
, throwing 49.44 m. He travelled to the Games in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and led out the team in the opening ceremony as the French flag bearer. The French team convinced the U.S. officials that wine was an essential part of their competitors' diets, receiving special permission to circumvent the prohibition in force across the country
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
. Noël took full advantage of this and is reported as "swigging champagne with his compatriots" in the locker room between rounds at the discus event
Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw
The men's discus throw event at the 1932 Olympic Games took place August 3.-Final standings:Key: OR = Olympic record-References:*, from http://www.sports-reference.com/; retrieved 2010-04-04....
. There was then further controversy when Noël finished in fourth place: the officials in charge of the event disallowed a throw that is believed to have been farther than gold medal winner John Anderson
John Anderson (athlete)
John Franklin Anderson was an American athlete who competed mainly in the Discus throw.He competed for the United States in the 1932 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, United States in the discus throw where he won the Gold medal.Anderson graduated from Cornell University in 1929, where he was a...
's 49.39 m attempt. The throw was not accepted because the officials did not see where it landed, their attention being drawn to the pole vault
Pole vault
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
ing competition instead. Noël was allowed an additional attempt but could not match his earlier performance, reaching 47.74 m and finishing fourth. Anderson went on to improve his distance to 49.49 m, an Olympic record.
Noël went on to compete at the inaugural European Athletics Championships in 1934 in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, 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...
, finishing seventh in the discus and tenth in the shot put. The 1936 Olympic Games
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
were held in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Noël was again selected as the flag bearer for his country. Noël returned to European competition at the 1938 Championships in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, again finishing seventh in the discus and improving to ninth in the shot put.
Death
Noël died during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
from a wound sustained during a battle outside Escaudœuvres
Escaudœuvres
Escaudœuvres is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
near Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
.