| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men'srowing | ||
Representing Great Britain | ||
 | 1936 Berlin | double sculls |
Leslie Frank "Dick"Southwood (18 January 1906 – 7 February 1986) was anEnglishrower who competed in the1932 Summer Olympics and in the1936 Summer Olympics representing Great Britain.
Southwood was born inFulham and was educated atLatymer Upper School. He initially joinedAuriol Rowing Club butJack Beresford spotted hissculling potential and persuaded him to joinThames Rowing Club. He competed unsuccessfully in theWingfield Sculls in 1931.[1] In 1932 he competed in thesingle sculls rowing forGreat Britain at the 1932 Summer Olympics but in the final suffered an attack of cramp in the shoulder and finished fourth.[2] He won the Wingfield Sculls in 1933, beating the holderDenis Guye.
In 1936 Southwood partneredJack Beresford in thedouble sculls for Great Britainrowing at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. WithAdolf Hitler watching, Beresford and Southwood came from a length down to pass the Germans with 200 metres to go and won the gold medal. Beresford thus won his fifth Olympic medal and wrote later that it was "the sweetest race I ever rowed."
Beresford and Southwood paired up again in 1939 in thecentenary double sculls atHenley Royal Regatta. They dead-heated with Scherli and Broschi of Trieste, who were the reigning European champions.[3]
Southwood died in Little Wittenham, Oxfordshire at the age of 80.
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