John Merricks

{{Short description|English sailor (1971–1997)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox sailor | name = John Merricks | image = | image_size = | caption = | full_name = John Edward Merricks | birth_date = {{birth date text|16 February 1971}} | birth_place = [[Leicester]], England | death_date = {{death-date and age|8 October 1997|16 February 1971}} | death_place = [[Castiglione della Pescaia]], Italy | height = 173 cm | weight = 62 kg | classes = [[420 (class)|420]], [[470 (class)|470]], [[Fireball (class)|Fireball]], [[Laser II]] | club = | collegeteam = | coach = | show-medals = yes | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's [[sailing (sport)|sailing]] }} {{MedalCountry | {{GBR2}} }} {{MedalCompetition | [[Sailing at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] }} {{MedalSilver | [[Sailing at the 1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Atlanta]] | [[Sailing at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 470|470]] }} }}

'''John Edward Merricks''' (16 February 1971 – 8 October 1997) was an English [[sailing (sport)|sailor]]. He represented Great Britain at the [[1996 Summer Olympics]] in [[Atlanta]], where he received the silver medal in the [[470 (dinghy)|470 class]] along with his sailing partner, [[Ian Walker (sailor)|Ian Walker]].<ref name=db-ol-YAT1996>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119144331/http://databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=24&sp=YAT |archive-date=19 January 2013 |url-status=dead |url=http://databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=24&sp=YAT |title=1996 Summer Olympics – Atlanta, United States – Sailing |website=databaseOlympics.com |access-date=17 April 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |title=John Merricks |url=http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/me/john-merricks-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203152903/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/me/john-merricks-1.html |archive-date=3 December 2016}}</ref> At the [[1996 470 European Championships]] he and Walker won the silver medal.

Merricks died in a car accident in Italy on 8 October 1997. He and Walker were passengers in a minivan when the driver lost control.<ref>[[David Wallechinsky|Wallechinsky, David]] (2004). ''The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics'', [[Toronto]]: Sport Classic Books. {{ISBN|1-894963-34-2}}</ref> A lake at [[Watermead Park]] is named after him.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{World Sailing|id=GBRJM122|www=john-merricks}} * {{Olympics.com profile|john-merricks}} * {{Olympedia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merricks, John}} [[Category:1971 births]] [[Category:1997 deaths]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Leicester]] [[Category:Olympic sailors for Great Britain]] [[Category:English male sailors (sport)]] [[Category:Sailors at the 1996 Summer Olympics – 470]] [[Category:Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain]] [[Category:Road incident deaths in Italy]] [[Category:Olympic medalists in sailing]] [[Category:470 class sailors]] [[Category:Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:420 class world champions]] [[Category:World champions in sailing for Great Britain]] [[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]