| Ron Hill |
|
 |
| Great Britain |
|
| Sunday, 25th September 1938 |
|
| Accrington, Lancashire, England |
|
| 6 miles, 10000m, Marathon |
|
| European: 1969 Gold Marathon, 1971 bronze Marathon. Commonwealth: 1970 Gold Marathon. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Photo/Foto: Ed Lacey |
Date: 1963 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ron Hill established an enviable record during the 1960s both on the track and on the road. In 1963 he won the 6 miles at the national AAA championships in 27min 49.8sec equalling the UK record. The next month in a Great Britain v USA match at White City he narrowly beat teammate Basil Heatley over 6 miles (see photo above) with the first US runner, Buddy Edelen, over 40 seconds behind. In the following year's AAA 6 miles event, Hill had a memorable battle with Mike Bullivant which Bullivant won by only 0.4sec with both runners finishing over 20 seconds under the UK record. At the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo Hill placed 18th in the 10000m in 29min 53.0sec and 19th in the marathon in 2hr 25min 34.4sec. On 21 July the next year he set his first World Record when he broke Zatopek's 25000m record by over 1 minute in a time of 1hr 15min 22.6sec, setting a World Record of 1hr 12min 48.2sec for 15 miles on the way. In 1966 he competed in the marathon at his second European Championships where he finished 12th (having failed to finish in 1962). Hill won the AAA 10 miles championship every year between 1965 and 1969, but probably his best victory was in 1968 at Leicester, on 6 April, where he set a new World Record of 47min 02.2sec. He further lowered this record later in the year, again at Leicester, on 9 November, when he attempted to break the one hour record of Gaston Roelants (Belgium). His distance of 20472m covered after the hour was less then 200m behind Roelantsí record, but his time at 10 miles of 46min 44.0sec was a new World Record. The previous month, competing in his second Olympic Games in Mexico City, he came 7th in the 10000m in 29min 53.2sec. (Ron Casey)
|
|
| This photograph is the copyright © of George Herringshaw & sporting-heroes.net |
|
|
|
|
|
Printable Version
Printable Version