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Hillingdon Athletic Club

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Coordinates: 51°33′12″N 0°27′59″W / 51.55333°N 0.46639°W / 51.55333; -0.46639
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Hillingdon Athletic Club
Founded1877
GroundHillingdon Athletics Stadium
Location1 Gatting Way, Uxbridge London, UB8 1ES, England
Coordinates51°33′12″N 0°27′59″W / 51.55333°N 0.46639°W / 51.55333; -0.46639
Websiteofficial website

Hillingdon Athletic Club is a British athletics club based in Uxbridge, west London and Ruislip, northwest London, England. The club's headquarters and clubhouse are based at 206 Bury Street in Ruislip but training and racing takes place at the Hillingdon Athletics Stadium in Uxbridge. The club train five days per week and is affiliated with UK Athletics, the South of England AA and Middlesex County AA.[1]

History

[edit]
The stadium in 2011
David Hemery

The club's origins date back to 1877 when a group called the Gentlemen of Hampstead founded the Finchley Harriers following a meeting at the North Star Tavern.[1] The first run took place 8 November 1879.[2]

In 1899 and 1900 Charles Bennett won the individual title at the English National Cross Country Championships, while the Harriers won the team title in 1900 in Rotherham.[3] Bennett went on to win the club's first Olympic medals at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris.[4]

In 1933, the Finchley Harriers introduced the Finchley Road Race, which became a prestigious event[5] and was later renamed the Hillingdon 20.[1]

Shortly after World War II in 1946, Roger Bannister joined the club before moving to University and in 1949 the original clubhouse on Bury Street was built by the Finchley Harriers.[1]

In 1951, Ruislip and Northwood Athletics Club was founded[1] but later merged with Finchley Harriers to form the Hillingdon Athletic Club on 1 October 1966.[6] Further clubs merged with Hilllingdon AC afterwards (Hillingdon and Harlington AC in 1970, Uxbridge & District Ladies in 1990 and Brunel Juniors in 2006).[1]

In 1976 the current clubhouse on Bury Street was built and the Don Hirst Trust Fund was set up in 1985.[1]

In 2006 the Athletics Stadium was opened by Queen Elizabeth II.[7]

Honours

[edit]

Notable athletes

[edit]

Olympians

[edit]
Athlete Club Games Events Medals/Ref
Charles Bennett Finchley Harriers 1900 marathon, steeplechase, team race [8]
Frederick Randall Finchley Harriers 1900 marathon [9]
Frederick Ashford Finchley Harriers 1908 800m [10]
Meyrick Chapman Finchley Harriers 1908 100m [11]
Eric Shirley Finchley Harriers 1956, 1960 steeplechase [12]
Frank Salvat Finchley Harriers 1960 5000m [13]
Frances Slaap Ruislip & Northwood AC 1960, 1964 high jump [14]
Pat Pryce-Nutting Ruislip & Northwood AC/Hillingdon AC 1960, 1964, 1968 80m hurdles [15]
Gwenda Matthews Ruislip & Northwood AC 1964 high jump [16]
David Hemery Hillingdon AC 1968, 1972 400mH, 4x400m relay [17]
Barry King Hillingdon AC 1972 decathlon [18]
Paul Dickenson Hillingdon AC 1976, 1980 hammer
Mark Naylor Hillingdon AC 1980, 1984 high jump [19]
Alec Leonce Hillingdon AC 1988 bobsleigh [20]
Julia Bleasdale Hillingdon AC 2012 5,000/10,000m [21]
  • English unless stated

Commonwealth Games

[edit]
Athlete Club Games Events Medals/Ref
Len Carter Ruislip & Northwood AC 1962 4x100m relay
John Adey Finchley Harriers 1966 4x400 relay
Peter Gabbett Hillingdon AC 1970 decathlon
Mike Campbell Hillingdon AC 1970 high jump
John Hillier Hillingdon AC 1974, 1978 discus
Graham Gower Hillingdon AC 1974 110m hurdles

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "About Us". Hillingdon Athletic Club. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Finchley Harriers". Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle. 15 November 1879. Retrieved 9 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ Matthews/Morrison, Peter/Ian (1987). The Guinness Encyclopaedia of Sports Records and results, pages 73. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. ISBN 0-85112-492-5.
  4. ^ Wallechinsky, David (2000). The complete book of the Summer Olympics – Sydney 2000 edition. Overlook Press. ISBN 1-58567-033-2.
  5. ^ "Finchley Road Race". Reynolds's Newspaper. 5 April 1936. Retrieved 9 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Athletics wedding". Harrow Observer. 27 October 1966. Retrieved 9 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "£31m West London leisure complex opens". Heritage Fund. 21 March 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  8. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  10. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  11. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  12. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  14. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  15. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  16. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  17. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  18. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  19. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  20. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  21. ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
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