Thames Valley Harriers

Thames Valley Harriers (TVH) is an athletics club based in West London, England. It is based at the Linford Christie Stadium which is named after Olympic 100 metres gold medallist Linford Christie.

TVH competes in the Premiership Division of the British Athletics League and the UK Women's Athletic League as well as the Division 1 of the Southern Athletics League. In 2016 TVH's ladies team won the European Club Champions Cup.

As well as track and field, the club competes in road running and cross country at national, regional and county level. In recognition of the club's recent success - and TVH's record of strong contribution to its local community - England Athletics voted Thames Valley Harriers the top London Club for 2015.

History

Thames Valley Harriers is one of the UK's longest-established and most successful athletics clubs. It was founded in 1887 [1] by seven aspiring cross-country runners who used the 'Peels' coffee house in Richmond Road, West London as a base for their training runs. Christened the East Twickenham Harriers, the club flourished and to reflect its widening horizons took the name Thames Valley Harriers on November 14 1890.

TVH became a force both on the track and in endurance races. The 1908 Olympics in nearby White City increased the club's profile and a first Olympian was secured in 1936 when George Traynor competed in the long jump alongside Jesse Owens.

Other standout performers included Ken Norris who finished second in the 1954 world cross country championships and Ron Hopcroft who set world records for both the 50 and 100 miles. TVH was also the club where middle distance coach Frank Horwill first developed his methods, including the creation of the British Milers Club in 1963.

TVH was a founding member of the British Athletics League in 1969 and enjoyed great success over the next two decades, winning the title three times and finishing in the top three on a total of 14 occasions, as well as achieving multiple wins in the Southern road relays and cross country championships.

This success provided the momentum for the club to build a new clubhouse at the West London Stadium by Wormwood Scrubs, which was completed in 1979. From this platform emerged TVH's greatest ever athlete – Linford Christie - who claimed a haul of international sprint medals including 1992 Olympic 100m gold in Barcelona. The West London Stadium was renamed the Linford Christie Stadium in his honour and he still serves as the Club President.

Honours

Senior Men:

  • British Athletics League
    • First Place: 1970, 1971, 1994
    • Second Place: 1972, 1973, 1975, 1995, 1997
    • Third Place: 1969, 1974, 1976, 1979, 1991, 1996

Senior Women:

  • European Club Champions Cup
    • First Place: 2016

Notable athletes

Olympians
AthleteCountryEventsOlympicsMedals
George Traynorlong jump1936
Alec Olney5000 metres1948
Michael Denleyjavelin throw1952
Ken Norris10000 metres1956
David Segal [2]100 metres, 200 metres, 4x100 metres relay1956, 1960
Jimmy Omagbemi200 metres4x100 metres relay1960, 1964
Mike Wiggs [3]1500 metres1960, 1964
Alf Meakin [4]100 metres1960
Dick Steane [5]200 metres1964
Martin Reynolds [6]400 metres4x400 metres relay1972
Steve Green4x100 metres relay1980
Rod Milne4x400 metres relay1980
Clifford Mamba100 metres200 metres1984
Linford Christie100 metres4x100 metres relay1988, 1992, 1996

Julian Golleytriple jump1992
Sanusi Turay100 metres4x100 metres relay1992, 1996
Ambwene Simukonda400 metres2012
Lorraine Ugenlong jump2016
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References
  1. "Thames Valley Harriers History". Thames Valley Harriers. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  2. David Segal at Power of 10
  3. Mike Wiggs at Power of 10
  4. Alf Meakin at Power of 10
  5. Dick Steane at Power of 10
  6. Martin Reynolds at Power of 10


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