Leonard Lewis MEREDITH

Leon Meredith has won the largest number of motor-paced world titles, with seven among amateurs (1904-05, 1907-09, 1911, 1913). When the First World War interrupted his career, it was assumed he would retire because of his age, but he continued to race until 1924. Meredith was not as successful at the Olympic Games as he had hoped; in 1908 he won a gold medal with the British team pursuit quartet, but was unlucky in the other three events he contested. In 1912, he won a silver medal in the team time trial on the road, having placed fourth individually. Meredith, who had patented a racing tire and ran his own tire company, was also a fervent roller skater, operating his own rink and becoming British amateur roller skating champion in 1911 and 1912. He died of a heart attack while on his annual winter holiday in Davos.