{{short description|British middle-distance runner}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Use British English|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Dave Cropper | image = | caption = | nationality = British (English) | sport = Athletics | event = Middle-distance running | club = Berry Hill AC<br>Birchfield Harriers | birth_date = {{birth date|1945|12|26|df=yes}} | birth_place = Birmingham, England | death_date = {{death date and age|2016|12|3|1945|12|26|df=yes}} | death_place = Solihull, England | height =185 cm | weight =73 kg }}
'''David Cropper''' (26 December 1945 – 3 December 2016) was a British middle-distance runner. He competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics and the 1972 Summer Olympics.<ref name="SportsRef">{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/cr/dave-cropper-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418041445/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/cr/dave-cropper-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Dave Cropper Olympic Results |accessdate=18 October 2017}}</ref>
== Biographyt == He was born in Birmingham and attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Mansfield.<ref>''Nottingham Evening Post'' Thursday 21 February 1963, page 12</ref> He grew up in Mansfield Woodhouse.<ref>''Nottingham Evening Post'' Saturday 22 February 1964</ref>
At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, he represented Great Britain in the 800 metres event.<ref name=oly>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68986 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=11 May 2025}}</ref>
Cropper became the British 800 metres champion after winning the British AAA Championships title at the 1969 AAA Championships<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19690802/016/0016 |title=Shock victory by Irish middle-distance man |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=2 August 1969 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000729/19690803/157/0015 |title=White City results |work=The People |date=3 August 1969 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref> Cropper participated in the 1969 European Athletics Championships in Athens.
Cropper was runner-up in the same event at both the 1971 AAA Championships and 1972 AAA Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref>
He married fellow athlete Pat Cropper in December 1971, they had one child and lived in Solihull. His wife's family lived on Clumber Road, in North Evington in Leicester.<ref>''Leicester M'' Monday 17 July 1972, page 7</ref>
Cropper represented Great Britain again at the Olympic Games when competing in the 800 metres at the 1972 Olympics Games in Munich.<ref name=oly/> After retiring as an athlete he became a well-known administrator and was chairman of the AAA from 1991 to 2004. He was awarded an OBE in 2005.<ref name=oly/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cropper, Dave}} Category:1945 births Category:2016 deaths Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics Category:British men middle-distance runners Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain Category:People from Mansfield Woodhouse Category:Sportspeople from Mansfield Category:English men middle-distance runners Category:20th-century English sportsmen Category:Competitors at the 1965 Summer Universiade Category:Competitors at the 1967 Summer Universiade