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Jim Armstrong (wrestler)

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Jim Armstrong
Born14 July 1917[1]
Died8 July 1981 (1981-07-09) (aged 63)[1]
NationalityAustralian
Other namesBig Jim
Sports career
Medal record
Men's freestyle wrestling
Representing  Australia
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1948 London Heavyweight
British Empire Games
Gold medal – first place 1950 Auckland Heavyweight
British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 1962 Perth Light Heavyweight
Rugby league career
Playing information
PositionProp
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1939–1947 South Sydney 83 28 4 0 92
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1946 Australia 1 0 0 0 0
1946 NSW 2 0 0 0 0

James Michael Armstrong (14 July 1917 – 8 July 1981) was a great Australian sport wrestler and rugby league player. In wrestling, he won a bronze medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics, a gold medal at the 1950 British Empire Games and a bronze medal at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. He represented South Sydney, New South Wales and Australia in a nine-year top-level rugby league career. Armstrong served as an officer in the New South Wales Police Force, retiring at the rank of inspector.

Early life

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He was born in Albury, New South Wales, and was educated in Junee and Wagga Wagga. He joined the New South Wales Police Force at the age of 20.[2]

Rugby league career

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Armstrong played for Waratahs in Wagga Wagga before moving to Sydney with the police force. In Sydney, Armstrong joined South Sydney, where he made his first grade debut in 1939.[3][4]

Armstrong was selected to play for Australia against Great Britain as a front row forward in the third and deciding Ashes test in 1946, becoming Kangaroo No. 233.[5]

Wrestling career

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He won a bronze medal in freestyle wrestling, heavyweight class, at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.[1][6]

At the 1950 British Empire Games Armstrong won the heavyweight wrestling gold medal.[7]

At the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Armstrong won the light heavyweight wrestling bronze medal.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Jim Armstrong". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 30 January 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  2. ^ "Junee's Effort to Send Wrestling Champion to Olympic Games". The Daily Advertiser. New South Wales, Australia. 2 April 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 29 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Waratahs lose Armstrong". The Daily Advertiser. New South Wales, Australia. 7 July 1938. p. 7. Retrieved 29 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Former Waratah forward – Great success in Sydney". The Daily Advertiser. New South Wales, Australia. 31 May 1939. p. 8. Retrieved 29 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Australian Kangaroos Player Register" (PDF). 2013 Annual Report. National Rugby League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Rugby league". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 July 1981. p. 27. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Olympian and father figure". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 July 1981. p. 12. Retrieved 29 June 2023.