Leo Thomas Nolan (10 December 1912 – 27 January 1979) was a New Zealand wrestler who represented his country at the 1938 British Empire Games.

Leo Nolan
Personal information
Birth nameLeo Thomas Nolan
Born(1911-12-10)10 December 1911
Died27 January 1979(1979-01-27) (aged 66)
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportWrestling
Achievements and titles
National finalsBantamweight champion (1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938)
Flyweight champion (1935)
Lightweight champion (1936)

Biography

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Born on 10 December 1911, Nolan was the son of Thomas Nolan and Evelyn Beatrice Nolan (née Williams).[1]

Representing Wellington, Nolan won several New Zealand amateur wrestling titles: he was the bantamweight champion in 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937 and 1938; the flyweight champion in 1935; and the lightweight champion in 1936.[2][3][4]

At the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, Nolan competed in the freestyle wrestling bantamweight (57 kg) division.[5] In the preliminary rounds, he defeated the Australian, Ted Purcell (who went on to win the gold medal), by one fall; but lost to Englishman Ray Cazaux (the eventual bronze medalist) by one fall.[6] In the semi-finals, Nolan was defeated by the Canadian competitor, Vernon Blake, and finished in fourth place.[5][6]

During World War II, Nolan served as a driver in the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force.[7][8]

Nolan died on 27 January 1979, and he was buried at Paraparaumu Cemetery.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Birth index: registration number 1912/1994". Births, deaths & marriages online. Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  2. ^ "Wrestling fixtures". Evening Post. 17 April 1937. p. 22. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  3. ^ "New Zealand amateur championships: wrestling". Northern Advocate. 21 September 1937. p. 9. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Wrestling titles". New Zealand Herald. 21 September 1938. p. 13. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Leo Nolan". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  6. ^ a b "N.Z. boxers, wrestlers beaten". Northern Advocate. 8 February 1938. p. 8. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Leo Thomas Nolan". Online Cenotaph. Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Cemetery details". Kapiti Coast District Council. Retrieved 25 March 2018.