Herbert Fuller

Having won a 1-mile handicap race at the Uxbridge Sports as a 19-year-old in 1921, Henry Fuller won his first scratch race the following year, and two months later rose to fame by winning the National Cyclists’ Union (NCU) London Centre 10-mile title from Harry Ryan. Fuller also narrowly lost the 1-mile championship by inches. He retained his 10-mile title in 1923 and also won his first senior NCU title, when he beat holder Jack Sibbit to claim the 1-mile title at Herne Hill. In an exciting finish, Fuller and Sibbit crossed the line almost together, but the title was awarded to Fuller after his rival was disqualified for boring.

Having competed in the sprint at the 1923 World Championships in Zürich, Fuller went on to win a bronze medal at the Worlds in Paris the following year, when he also took part in the Olympic sprint. He was, at one time, also considered for the Olympic tandem event with Leon Cordery, but was not selected. More titles came Fuller’s way in 1924, when he won both the NCU London Centre 1-mile Championship, and the NCU quarter-mile title at Manchester, beating the holder Albert White, with the fastest time seen in the event since 1914. At the end of the 1928 season, Fuller left the Marlborough Club he had been with his entire racing career and joined the crack Polytechnic team. Due to lack of serious training, he did not defend his NCU title in 1925, and within a couple of years his serious racing career came to a close.