Richard Slaney

{{short description|British discus thrower}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Use British English|date=November 2012}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Richard Slaney | image = | imagesize = | caption = | nationality = British (English) | sport = Athletics, Strongman | event = Discus throw | club = Essex Beagles | collegeteam = San Diego State University | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1956|5|16}} | birth_place = Redhill, Surrey, England | death_place = | height ={{height|ft=6|in=7}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sl/richard-slaney-1.html |title=Biography at sports-reference.com |access-date=28 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823032209/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sl/richard-slaney-1.html |archive-date=23 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | weight ={{convert|265|lb|kg}} |medaltemplates= {{Medal|Sport | Strongman}} {{Medal|Country | {{GBR}} }} {{Medal|Competition|Britain's Strongest Man}} {{Medal|First | 1980 | }} {{Medal|Third | 1981 | }} {{Medal|First | 1982 | }} {{Medal|Competition|Europe's Strongest Man}} {{Medal|Second | 1980 | }} }}

'''Richard Charles Slaney''' (born 16 May 1956) is a male British discus thrower who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics and strongman competitor, notable for being a repeat winner of the Britain's Strongest Man title.

At the UK Athletics Championships he won in 1979, ranked second in 1977 to 1978, and was third in 1980. He also came third in the shot put in 1980.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/uk.htm|title=UK Championships|website=gbrathletics.com|access-date=2020-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002171009/http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/uk.htm|archive-date=2 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Biography == Slaney was born in Redhill, Surrey. As a sportsman he was foremost a field athlete specialising in the discus. However, whilst actively pursuing this sport, he did compete as a strength athlete and won the Britain's Strongest Man competition in 1980 and 1982.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/strongmanresults.html |title=David Horne's World of Grip |access-date=8 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116082106/http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/strongmanresults.html |archive-date=16 November 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> He also finished second behind Geoff Capes in the 1980 Europe's Strongest Man competition. Across the pond in the same time period, he competed in track and field at San Diego State University. He is still the university record holder in the discus throw, his 64.64 best in 1982 outdistances the next best in university history by over 5 metres.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/SchoolRecords.aspx?SchoolID=21326 |title=San Diego State Track Records |access-date=12 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219022126/http://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/SchoolRecords.aspx?SchoolID=21326 |archive-date=19 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> He represented England in the discus and shot put events, at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/brisbane-1982/athletes|title=1982 Athletes|website=Team England|access-date=13 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821205719/https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/brisbane-1982/athletes|archive-date=21 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

As a discus thrower he qualified for the 1984 Olympic Games finishing 15th overall. Domestically, he threw the 2nd best UK discus performance of 1980, 3rd best in 1981 and the top UK discus performances in 1982 to 1986 inclusive.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/tp/gbrm.htm|title=UK Top Performers 1980-2005: Men (Outdoor)|website=gbrathletics.com|access-date=2020-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024090348/http://www.gbrathletics.com/tp/gbrm.htm|archive-date=24 October 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1986 he became the British discus throw champion after winning the British AAA Championships title at the 1986 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=7 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=7 June 2025}}</ref> His personal best of 65.16m makes him the second best British thrower after Perriss Wilkins.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/uk/mf99.htm |title=UK All-Time Lists: Men - Throws |access-date=8 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100921225214/http://gbrathletics.com/uk/mf99.htm |archive-date=21 September 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the 1984 Olympics Slaney is remembered for carrying his fiancee Mary Decker from the track after she lay stricken at trackside during the 3,000m final, having tripped over the bare feet of Zola Budd. Decker and Slaney married on 1 January 1985; their daughter Ashley was born on 30 May 1986.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/observer/osm/story/0,,1404029,00.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907140509/http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0%2C%2C1404029%2C00.html|title=The ten sporting love matches|archivedate=7 September 2012|url-status=live|website=The Guardian}}</ref> He represented England in the discus event, at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edinburgh-1986/athletes|title=1986 Athletes|website=Team England|access-date=13 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821231001/https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edinburgh-1986/athletes|archive-date=21 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/38472|title=Athletes and results|website=Commonwealth Games Federation|access-date=13 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002162215/https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/38472|archive-date=2 October 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

After he retired in 1986 Slaney became a businessman. He also works on restoring antique airplanes<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20104147,00.html|title=Going the Distance|work=People|volume=42|number=16|date=17 October 1994|first=Susan|last=Reed|access-date=8 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110122558/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20104147,00.html|archive-date=10 January 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> living with his family on a {{convert|55|acre|m2|adj=on}} ranch in Eugene, Oregon, US. They have three Weimaraner dogs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/worldOfSport/idINIndia-41362720090728|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709141106/http://in.reuters.com/article/worldOfSport/idINIndia-41362720090728|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 July 2012|title=Mary Slaney still yearns to run|author= Gene Cherry|work=Sports Illustrated|date=2009-07-28|accessdate=2010-05-27}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20200418041344/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sl/richard-slaney-1.html sports-reference.com profile]

{{S-start}} {{Succession box |before=Geoff Capes |before2=Geoff Capes |title=Britain's Strongest Man |after=Geoff Capes |after2=Geoff Capes |years=1980<br>1982 }} {{S-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Slaney, Richard}} Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Redhill, Surrey Category:Track and field athletes from Eugene, Oregon Category:English strength athletes Category:English men discus throwers Category:British men discus throwers Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1986 Commonwealth Games Category:San Diego State Aztecs men's track and field athletes Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for England