View source for David Ottley

{{short description|British javelin thrower}}
{{for|the English cricketer|David Ottley (cricketer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Dave Ottley
| image = 
| image_size = 
| caption = 
| nationality = British (English)
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|08|05|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[West Thurrock]], [[Essex]], England
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| sport = [[Sport of athletics|Athletics]]
| event = Javelin
| height = 186 cm
| weight = 95 kg
| club = Telford/Thurrock Harriers
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport | Men's [[Athletics (sport)|Athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Country | {{GBR2}} }}
{{Medal|Silver| [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles]]| [[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics - Men's javelin throw|Javelin]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{Medal|Country | {{ENG}} }}
{{Medal|Gold| [[1986 Commonwealth Games|1986 Edinburgh]] | [[Athletics at the 1986 Commonwealth Games|javelin]]}}
}}

'''David Charles Ottley''' (born 5 August 1955) is a retired British athlete who mainly competed in the men's [[javelin throw]] event. He competed at three Olympic Games.<ref name=oly>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69363 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=7 June 2025}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Ottley finished second behind [[Peter Maync]] in the Javelin event at the [[1976 AAA Championships]] but by virtue of being the highest placed British athlete was considered the [[List of British champions in javelin throw|British javelin throw champion]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19760814/365/0016 |title=Wells is top UK Sprinter |work=The Scotsman |date=14 August 1976 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=7 June 2025}}</ref> The following year he won the title outright at the [[1977 AAA Championships]].<ref name=Nuts>{{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>

Ottley represented [[England at the 1978 Commonwealth Games|England]], at the [[1978 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Edmonton]], Canada<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edmonton-1978/athletes|title=1978 Athletes|website=Team England}}</ref> before going to his first Olympic Games in 1980. At the 1980 Olympics Games in [[Moscow]], he represented [[Great Britain at the 1980 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]] in the javelin throw event.<ref name=oly/>

After two second place finishes in the AAAs, and then two third place finishes (the latter as the highest placed British athlete) he won the [[1982 AAA Championships]] to continue his domination as Britain's leading javelin thrower.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=7 June 2025}}</ref> A second Commonwealth Games appearance  for [[England at the 1982 Commonwealth Games|England]] ensued at the [[1982 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Brisbane]], Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/brisbane-1982/athletes|title=1982 Athletes|website=Team England}}</ref>

His finest moment came when he won a silver medal in the [[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics - Men's javelin throw|Javelin event]] at 1984 Olympic Games in [[Los Angeles]].<ref name=oly/> He won three consecutive AAAA titles from 1984 to 1986 and represented [[England at the 1986 Commonwealth Games|England]] for a third time at the Commonwealth Games, winning a gold medal 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}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/38914|title=Athletes and results|website=Commonwealth Games Federation}}</ref>

Ottley won his sixth and last AAA title at the [[1988 AAA Championships]],<ref name=Nuts/> the same year that he went to a third Olympic Games in [[Seoul]].<ref name=oly/> Altogether he won six AAA titles and was British champion ten times and he paved the way for the likes of [[Mick Hill (javelin thrower)|Mick Hill]] and [[Steve Backley]]. Additionally he won five [[UK Athletics Championships]] from 1978 to 1982.

== Personal life ==
Ottley is referenced In "The Boy Who Cried Rat" episode of ''[[Good Morning Miss Bliss]]'', in which Mr. Belding ([[Dennis Haskins]]) proclaims that nobody remembers second place, referencing the javelin throw of [[1984 Summer Olympics]]. Miss Bliss however correctly identifies that the silver medallist was indeed Ottley.{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}

Ottley now resides in [[Shropshire]], having moved home from Essex to [[Telford, Shropshire|Telford]],<ref>{{cite book|last=Elderwick|first=David|title=50 Shropshire Celebrities, Past and Present|year=1989|publisher=IMPRINT, Newtown, Wales|page=47}}</ref> and has two children.

== International competitions ==
{| {{AchievementTable}}
|-
!colspan="5"|Representing {{GBR2}} and {{ENG}}
|-
|1984
|[[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Men's javelin throw|Olympic Games]]
|[[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles, United States]]
|bgcolor="silver"| 2nd
|85.74 m 
|-
|1986
|[[Athletics at the 1986 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|[[Edinburgh, United Kingdom]]
|bgcolor="gold"| 1st
|80.62 m
|-
|1987 
|[[1987 World Championships in Athletics – Men's javelin throw|World Championships]]
|[[Rome, Italy]]
|9th
|77.64 m 
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://www.olympics.org.uk/athleterecord.aspx?at=2399 Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830160852/http://www.olympics.org.uk/athleterecord.aspx?at=2399 |date=30 August 2007 }}
* {{World Athletics}}

{{Footer Commonwealth Champions Javelin Men}}
{{Footer UK NC Javelin Men}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ottley, David}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:People from West Thurrock]]
[[Category:English male javelin throwers]]
[[Category:British male javelin throwers]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1986 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games silver medalists for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1977 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1986 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics]]