The Modern Games, Atlanta 1996 and a Sailing Champion, a Special Exhibition is launching at Rutland County Museum later this week.

Rutland County Museum will step back into the history of the modern Games and highlights the achievements of a young local sailor who won silver in the 1996 Atlanta Games.

John Merricks was a young talent from Rutland Water Sailing Club, who's amazing sporting career was tragically cut short in a car accident a year after winning his Olympic silver medal. 

Merricks was a yatchsman who gained a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He began his sailing career on this lake. Sadly John was tragically killed in a car accident in Italy in 1997, aged just 27.

A lake at Watermead Country Park in Leicestershire was named after him and, since his passing, the John Merricks Sailing Trust was set up in his honour. 

While it was announced in 2022 that the trust would be dissolved, the work of the organisation had an impact upon many.

And now he will be remembered at an exhibition set to take place at Rutland County Museum from 6 July 2024.

See Merricks's medal and more at the upcoming exhibition. Image credit: Rutland County Museum.

The highlight of the exhibition will be Merricks's Olympic medal, a recent donation by his family to the museum permanent collections, along with his official GB costume and ephemera.

The free special exhibition runs from 6 July - 28 September 2024.

The museum is open:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, excluding bank holidays from 10am - 4pm.

Get in touch with the team on 01572 758440 or find the museum at:

Catmos Street

Oakham

Rutland

LE15 6HW