Geoff Saunders

Geoffrey Boothby "Geoff" Saunders (born 25 January 1929) is an English former cross country runner. He represented England four times at the International Cross Country Championships from 1949 to 1952 and was the winner of the race in 1951, leading England to the team gold. He shared in the minor team medals in his other three outings.[1][2]

Geoff Saunders
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  England
International Cross Country Championships
1951 CaerleonSenior race

He grew up around the Lake District, having moved the due to wartime evacuation. He took up cross country running there and attended Repton School. He ran for Derby & County Athletic Club before moving to Bolton at the age of seventeen, as his father began working as a doctor there, and joined Bolton Harriers. He joined the army, rising to lieutenant, and he won army running titles on the track and in cross country. He retired from the sport in 1953 at the age of 24 as his job at a chemists required him to work weekends.[3]

Geoffery Saunders died late 2019 (December) in a Carehome in Rochford. At the International Cross Country Championships he was England's top finisher in fifth in 1949, leading the English men (including Frank Aaron and Len Eyre) to second in the team rankings behind France.[4] He dropped to 14th the following year, with Aaron replacing him as England's leader. The bronze medal-winning team also included Alec Olney and Eyre.[5] Aaron and Olney were in the International champion team of 1951, as was Walter Hesketh – a regional rival of Saunders'.[6] On his last outing in 1952 he ended the race in 13th. The English team were second to the French – Hesketh led the team in fourth and the emerging Frank Sando (himself later an individual champion) was in ninth. The remaining member of the team that year were Frederick Norris and Jim Peters.[7]

International competitions
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
1949 International Cross Country Championships Dublin, Ireland 5th Senior race 48:14
2nd Senior team 90 pts
1950 International Cross Country Championships Brussels, Belgium 14th Senior race 47:09
3rd Senior team 82 pts
1951 International Cross Country Championships Caerleon, Wales 1st Senior race 54:07
1st Senior team 47 pts
1952 International Cross Country Championships Hamilton, United Kingdom 13th Senior race 50:11
2nd Senior team 64 pts
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References
  1. Geoff Saunders (1929.01.25). AthChamps (archived). Retrieved on 2016-04-28.
  2. International Cross Country Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2016-04-28.
  3. “Think it over and put it right”: the races of Geoff Saunders. Track Stats. Retrieved on 2016-04-28.
  4. Magnusson, Tomas (March 24, 2007), INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS - 14.5km CC Men - Dublin Baldoyle Racecourse Date: Saturday, March 26, 1949, Athchamps (archived), archived from the original on August 7, 2007, retrieved October 1, 2013CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  5. Magnusson, Tomas (March 24, 2007), INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS - 14.5km CC Men - Bruxelles Hippodrome de Boitsfort Date: Saturday, March 25, 1950, Athchamps (archived), archived from the original on August 6, 2007, retrieved October 1, 2013CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  6. Magnusson, Tomas (March 24, 2007), INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS - 14.9km CC Men - Newport Caerleon Racecourse Date: Saturday, March 31, 1951, Athchamps (archived), archived from the original on July 19, 2007, retrieved October 1, 2013CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  7. Magnusson, Tomas (March 24, 2007), INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS - 14.5km CC Men - Glasgow Hamilton Park Date: Saturday, March 22, 1952, Athchamps (archived), archived from the original on June 9, 2007, retrieved October 1, 2013CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
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