# Richard Slaney

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{{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](/source/Strongman_(strength_athlete))
| event  = [Discus throw](/source/Discus_throw)
| club = [Essex Beagles](/source/Essex_Beagles)
| collegeteam = [San Diego State University](/source/San_Diego_State_University)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1956|5|16}}
| birth_place =  [Redhill](/source/Redhill%2C_Surrey), [Surrey](/source/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](/source/Strongman_(strength_athlete))}}
{{Medal|Country | {{GBR}} }}
{{Medal|Competition|[Britain's Strongest Man](/source/Britain's_Strongest_Man)}}
{{Medal|First |  [1980](/source/Britain's_Strongest_Man) | }}
{{Medal|Third |  [1981](/source/Britain's_Strongest_Man) | }}
{{Medal|First |  [1982](/source/Britain's_Strongest_Man) | }}
{{Medal|Competition|[Europe's Strongest Man](/source/Europe's_Strongest_Man)}}
{{Medal|Second | [1980](/source/Europe's_Strongest_Man) | }}
}}

'''Richard Charles Slaney''' (born 16 May 1956) is a male British [discus throw](/source/discus_throw)er who competed in the [1984 Summer Olympics](/source/1984_Summer_Olympics) and [strongman](/source/strongman_(strength_athlete)) competitor, notable for being a repeat winner of the [Britain's Strongest Man](/source/Britain's_Strongest_Man) title.

At the [UK Athletics Championships](/source/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](/source/Redhill%2C_Surrey), [Surrey](/source/Surrey). As a sportsman he was foremost a [field athlete](/source/track_and_field) specialising in the discus. However, whilst actively pursuing this sport, he did compete as a [strength athlete](/source/strength_athlete) and won the [Britain's Strongest Man](/source/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](/source/Geoff_Capes) in the 1980 [Europe's Strongest Man](/source/Europe's_Strongest_Man) competition.  Across the pond in the same time period, he competed in [track and field](/source/track_and_field) at [San Diego State University](/source/San_Diego_State_University).  He is still the university record holder in the [discus throw](/source/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](/source/England_at_the_1982_Commonwealth_Games) in the discus and shot put events, at the [1982 Commonwealth Games](/source/1982_Commonwealth_Games) in [Brisbane](/source/Brisbane), [Queensland](/source/Queensland), [Australia](/source/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](/source/1984_Summer_Olympics) 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](/source/List_of_British_champions_in_discus_throw) after winning the British [AAA Championships](/source/AAA_Championships) title at the [1986 AAA Championships](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/England_at_the_1986_Commonwealth_Games) in the discus event, at the [1986 Commonwealth Games](/source/1986_Commonwealth_Games) in [Edinburgh](/source/Edinburgh), [Scotland](/source/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](/source/Eugene%2C_Oregon), US. They have three [Weimaraner](/source/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](/source/Geoff_Capes)
|before2=[Geoff Capes](/source/Geoff_Capes)
|title=[Britain's Strongest Man](/source/Britain's_Strongest_Man)
|after=[Geoff Capes](/source/Geoff_Capes)
|after2=[Geoff Capes](/source/Geoff_Capes)
|years=1980<br>1982
}}
{{S-end}}

{{Footer British NC Discus Men}}
{{Footer UK NC Discus Men}}

{{authority control}}

{{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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Richard Slaney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Slaney) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Slaney?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.