Belgrave Harriers, founded in October 1887, is an athletics club in Britain, with headquarters located in Wimbledon, close to Wimbledon Common. As of February 2013, they had the most successful record in the history of the British Athletics League, with 11 titles.[1]

Belgrave Harriers
TypeAthletic club
FoundedOctober 1887; 137 years ago (1887-10)
LocationWimbledon, London &
Battersea Park, Wandsworth
ActivitiesRoad running
Cross country running
Track and field
Racewalking
Websitewww.belgraveharriers.com

In the early days, the clubs's administrative headquarters were at the Kings Arms public house in Belgravia, central London, and races were held along the Embankment of the River Thames and also over the common lands south of London, particularly on Wimbledon Common. These days, Belgrave's home track is located at the Millennium Arena, Battersea Park and club members, known as 'Belgravians', train there on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Belgrave Harriers compete in track and field, road running, racewalking and cross country events, and have traditionally drawn their members from South London and Surrey, but in recent decades have athletes from all over the United Kingdom and overseas.

Belgrave Harriers' most successful period lasted from the 1920s to the 1950s, but the 21st century saw a resurgence, and they have won 29 national championships in this period on the road, in cross-country and on the track. In 2013, however, they announced their withdrawal from the British Athletics League due to a shortage of necessary volunteer officials.[1]

The club's membership contains several of Britain's leading athletes, including Olympic silver medallist and World Champion Phillips Idowu, Goldie Sayers, Dwain Chambers, William Sharman and Chicago Marathon winner Paul Evans.

Team honours

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Track and field

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  • European Champion Clubs Relays: 4x100m, 4x200m, 4x400m and 4x800m 1999
  • British Athletics League Division One (Premier Division): 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
  • British Athletics League Gold Cup: 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
  • British Athletics League Golden Jubilee Cup: 2002, 2003

Women

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  • British Athletics League Golden Jubilee Cup: 2002, 2003

Cross Country

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  • National Cross Country Championship: 1935, 1939, 1946, 1948, 2004.
  • National Cross Country Relay Championship: 2003, 2007

Road racing

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  • AAA National 6-Stage Road Relay: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008
  • AAA National 12-Stage Road Relay (London to Brighton 1924-1965): 1934, 1935, 1936, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2009
  • AAA 5 km: 2006
  • AAA 10 km: 2003
  • AAA Half-Marathon: 2002, 2004, 2007
  • AAA Marathon: 1996

Women

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  • AAA 10 km: 2006
  • AAA Marathon: 2004

Racewalking

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  • RWA 20 miles: 1924, 1925, 1928, 1929, 1938, 1939, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1970
  • RWA 50 km: 1934, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1951, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970
  • RWA 20 km: 1968, 1969, 1973, 1979
  • RWA 10 miles: 1947, 1948, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1982, 1984

Notable athletes

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Olympians

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Athlete Country Events Olympics Medals
Tommy Green   50km walk 1932  
Harry Churcher   10km walk 1948
Bill Lucas   5000 metres 1948
Étienne Gailly   marathon 1948  
Eric Hall   20km walk,50km walk 1956, 1960
John Bicourt   3000 metres steeplechase 1972, 1976
Paul Evans   10000 metres 1992, 1996
Brendan Reilly  ,   high jump 1992, 2000
Nick Sweeney   discus throw 1992, 1996, 2000
Paskar Owor   800 metres 2000, 2004
Dwain Chambers   100 metres, 4x100 metres relay 2000, 2012
Phillips Idowu   triple jump 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012  
Chris Lambert   200 metres 2004
Goldie Sayers   javelin throw 2004, 2008, 2012  
Georgia Bell   1500 metres 2024  
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References

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  1. ^ a b Hart, Simon (4 February 2013). "Belgrave Harriers' men's team to bow out of British Athletics League due to lack of volunteers". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 October 2013.