Olympic gold medalist Lionel Cox dies

SYDNEY — Australian Olympic cycling gold medalist Lionel Cox has died of pneumonia, the Australian Olympic Committee said. He was 80. Cox won a gold medal with Russell Mockridge in the 2,000-meter tandem event and silver in the 1,000-meter sprint at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. AOC president John Coates described Cox as one of "Australia's finest Olympians." AOC historian Harry Gordon says the ride of Cox and Mockridge in the tandem event at Helsinki was one of the most remarkable gold medal performances by any Australians. Their bike had been discarded by the British team and brought from London to Helsinki by Mockridge. Cox had never ridden a tandem nor ridden with Mockridge until a week before the games. – AP