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Vest worn by Wiltshire Olympian Jim Fox unveiled at REME Museum

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Three people standing around Jim Fox's vest
Image caption,
(l-r) Francesca Williams, Judy Smith and John Fox

A vest worn by the Olympic winner Jim Fox has been unveiled at an army museum in Wiltshire.

Fox, from Pewsey, Wiltshire, made his Olympic debut in 1964 and is said to be one of the most influential figures in the development of the Modern Pentathlon in Britain.

Whilst a serving soldier, Mr Fox won Modern Pentathlon Olympic Gold at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

He passed away on 28 April 2023, at the age of 81.

The vest, worn by Fox during the final cross country event in Montreal, was unveiled at the Royal Electrical And Mechanical Engineers (REME) Museum in Chippenham on Friday.

Members of Mr Fox's family attended the unveiling, along with some of his army comrades and a party from Pentathlon GB based in Bath.

'He was phenomenal'

The vest was donated back to the REME museum by Francesca Williams, whose father won the shirt in an auction"I decided that it shouldn't be with me anymore, it should be back with the family," said Ms Williams.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Jim Fox, left, Danny Nightingale and Adrian Parker at the Montreal Olympics in 1976

"I knew from a very young age that Jim was phenomenal.

"He was one of those icons that people looked up to, especially at my fencing club."

"I wanted it to go back to his children because I knew how proud I would be if I was a child or grandchild of Jim."

Jim Fox's sister, Judy Smith, unveiled her brother's vest at the museum.

"We shared so much together and I used to go to his competitions, my husband and I," said Ms Smith,

"We went to Montreal when he won the gold medal in 1976. He was a lovely person and we had many, many happy times together.

"I looked after him when he was ill in the early days. He would come and stay with me and he was really good to look after."

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