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<!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head> <title>Olympedia – Sidney Merlin</title> <meta name="csrf-param" content="authenticity_token" /> <meta name="csrf-token" content="DsUlfky4FS8tlDJOYiL4FHzWgkpub9PtBq0p0/fDEutWORorVcb3va1ns7CVhKB4V5p83TPxd0VoWy+HklEJkw==" /> <meta content='text/html; charset=UTF-8' http-equiv='Content-Type'> <meta content='EN' http-equiv='content-language'> <meta content='width=device-width, initial-scale=1' name='viewport'> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/assets/bootstrap.min-460a43de22fd9534d595e5aea2715cb154560291c9c6401b526e31c86a5ce32d.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/assets/bootstrap-sortable-363d232309d54b549fa85446295ef2b5d290e3f8a49f1a646247340be3705ef9.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/assets/jquery-ui-1.11.4.min-c2c16849482519011be3d591a077786323ba15af8b2b5586ecf274e7a51c4c79.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="screen" href="/assets/lightbox-e29689e123fc27505d2b9d919f43ffcb6fade539cb4670f21c35aa07848105e7.css" /> <link 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class='container'> <ol class='breadcrumb'> <li> <a href='/'>Home</a> </li> <li><a href="/athletes">Athletes</a></li><li class="active">Sidney Merlin</li> </ol> <div class='athlete_header'> <div> <h1> Sidney Merlin </h1> <form action='/athlete_merges/42374/edit' class='form-inline' method='get'> </form> </div> </div> <div class='athlete_bio'> <div class='athlete_photo_bio'> <a href='https://d2a3o6pzho379u.cloudfront.net/42374.jpg' rel='lightbox' title='Photo of Sidney Merlin'> <img class='photo' src='https://d2a3o6pzho379u.cloudfront.net/42374.jpg'> </a> <div> <h2> Biographical information </h2> <table class='biodata'> <tr><th>Roles</th><td>Competed in Olympic Games • Competed in Intercalated Games</td></tr> <tr><th>Sex</th><td>Male</td></tr> <tr><th>Full name</th><td>Sidney Louis Walter•Merlin</td></tr> <tr><th>Used name</th><td>Sidney•Merlin</td></tr> <tr><th>Born</th><td>26 April 1856 in <a href="/place_names/7539">Peiraias (Piraeus), Attiki (GRE)</a></td></tr> <tr><th>Died</th><td>14 July 1951 in <a href="/place_names/3291">Athina (Athens), Attiki (GRE)</a></td></tr> <tr><th>NOC</th><td><img style="padding-right: 2px; vertical-align: middle" src="https://olympedia-flags.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/GBR.png" /> <a href="/countries/GBR">Great Britain</a></td></tr> </table> </div> </div> <table class='athlete_sidebar'> <tbody> <tr> <td> <b>Medals</b> </td> <td>IG</td> </tr> <tr> <td><span class="Gold">Gold</span></td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td><span class="Silver">Silver</span></td> <td>0</td> </tr> <tr> <td><span class="Bronze">Bronze</span></td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='border-top'>Total</td> <td class='border-top'>2</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <h2> Biography </h2> <div class='description'> <p>Sidney Merlin was the only British marksman to take part in the first Modern Olympic Games in 1896 and ten years later he competed in all eleven individual shooting events at the 1906 Games. He won the gold medal in the clay pigeon, double shot, with 15 hits out of a possible 20 and he also won the bronze medal in the single shot event. The considerable fortune of the Merlin family and their native-born knowledge of the Greek language placed them among the leaders of Greek Society at the turn of the century. The family were substantial landowners and one of the main thoroughfares of Athens is still known as Merlin Street. Sidney Merlin married Zaira, the daughter of George Theotokis, the Greek Prime Minister, and when they were later divorced Zaira married Ioannis Rollis who, like his father-in-law, also became Prime Minister. Sidney Merlin and <a href="/athletes/42373">Gerald Merlin</a> are invariably referred to as brothers but this is not correct. A search of the British Consular Birth Register reveals that Gerald was the son of Charles E. P. Merlin and his wife Irene (nee Stournare) whereas Sidney was the son of the British Vice-Consul for Athens, Charles L. W. Merlin and his wife Isabella (née Green). However in fact they were uncle and nephew.</p> </div> <h2>Results</h2> <table class='table'> <thead> <tr> <th>Games</th> <th>Discipline (Sport) / Event</th> <th>NOC / Team</th> <th>Pos</th> <th>Medal</th> <th>As</th> <th></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr class='active'> <td> <a href="/editions/1">1896 Summer Olympics</a> </td> <td><a href="/sports/SHO">Shooting</a></td> <td><a href="/countries/GBR"><img style="padding-right: 2px; vertical-align: middle" src="https://olympedia-flags.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/GBR.png" />GBR</a></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>Sidney Merlin</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51500">Military Pistol, 25 metres, Men</a> <small>(Olympic)</small> </td> <td></td> <td><span class="label label-primary"><abbrev title="Did Not Finish">DNF</abbrev></span></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51501">Muzzle-Loading Pistol, 25 metres, Men</a> <small>(Olympic)</small> </td> <td></td> <td><span class="label label-primary"><abbrev title="Did Not Finish">DNF</abbrev></span></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51504">Free Rifle, Any Position, 300 metres, Men</a> <small>(Olympic)</small> </td> <td></td> <td><span class="label label-primary"><abbrev title="Also Competed">AC</abbrev></span></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51503">Military Rifle, 200 metres, Men</a> <small>(Olympic)</small> </td> <td></td> <td>10</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr class='active'> <td> <a href="/editions/2">1900 Summer Olympics</a> </td> <td><a href="/sports/SHO">Shooting</a></td> <td><a href="/countries/GBR"><img style="padding-right: 2px; vertical-align: middle" src="https://olympedia-flags.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/GBR.png" />GBR</a></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>Sidney Merlin</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51514">Trap, Men</a> <small>(Olympic)</small> </td> <td></td> <td>=7</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr class='active'> <td> <a href="/editions/4">1906 Intercalated Games</a> </td> <td><a href="/sports/SHO">Shooting</a></td> <td><a href="/countries/GBR"><img style="padding-right: 2px; vertical-align: middle" src="https://olympedia-flags.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/GBR.png" />GBR</a></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td>Sidney Merlin</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51521">Free Pistol, 25 metres, Men</a> <small>(Intercalated)</small> </td> <td></td> <td>12</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51522">Free Pistol, 50 metres, Men</a> <small>(Intercalated)</small> </td> <td></td> <td>23</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51518">Military Revolver, 1873-1874 Gras Model, 20 metres, Men</a> <small>(Intercalated)</small> </td> <td></td> <td><span class="label label-primary"><abbrev title="Did Not Finish">DNF</abbrev></span></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51517">Military Revolver, 20 metres, Men</a> <small>(Intercalated)</small> </td> <td></td> <td>16</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51519">Dueling Pistol Au Visé 20 metres, Men</a> <small>(Intercalated)</small> </td> <td></td> <td>10</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51520">Dueling Pistol Au Commandement, 25 metres, Men</a> <small>(Intercalated)</small> </td> <td></td> <td>7</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51525">Free Rifle, Any Position, 300 metres, Men</a> <small>(Intercalated)</small> </td> <td></td> <td><span class="label label-primary"><abbrev title="Did Not Finish">DNF</abbrev></span></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51523">Military Rifle, 1873-1874 Gras Model, Kneeling Or Standing, 200 metres, Men</a> <small>(Intercalated)</small> </td> <td></td> <td>7</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51524">Military Rifle, Kneeling Or Standing, 300 metres, Men</a> <small>(Intercalated)</small> </td> <td></td> <td>23</td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51526">Trap, Single Shot, 16 metres, Men</a> <small>(Intercalated)</small> </td> <td></td> <td>3</td> <td><span class="Bronze">Bronze</span></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td> <a href="/results/51527">Trap, Double Shot, 14 metres, Men</a> <small>(Intercalated)</small> </td> <td></td> <td>1</td> <td><span class="Gold">Gold</span></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Olympic family relations</h2> <ul> <li> Uncle of <a href="/athletes/42373">Gerald Merlin</a> </li> </ul> </div> </body> <footer class='footer'> <br> <div class='panel panel-info'> <div class='panel-heading'> <h3 class='panel-title'> <span class='glyphicon glyphicon-info-sign'></span> Did you know? 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