Bob Birrell

Bob Birrell started running at junior school at the age of six. He won a scholarship to Barrow Grammar School before going to Manchester University and Loughborough College, after which he became a schoolteacher. Initially he was a member of the Barrow Athletic Club and also ran for his university team. He started as a sprinter, and tried various field events before making the sprint hurdles his preferred discipline.

Having competed in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games at Cardiff in 1958, where he reached the semi-final of the 120 yards hurdles, Birrell was a member of the GB team at the 1960 Roma Olympics. After setting a British 110 metres record of 14.2 at Warszawa (Warsaw) in 1961, Birrell made a second Commonwealth Games appearance at Perth (Australia) in 1962 when he also competed in that year´s European Championships at Beograd (Belgrade).

Also in 1962, Birrell took up the post of chemistry and PE teacher at a Birkenhead school and subsequently joined the nearby Liverpool Harriers, and between 1966-69 won four consecutive Northern titles. Birrell later became a coach and manager of the UK junior track and field team. One of his students at Liverpool Harriers was the Olympian Diane Allahgreen. Birrell was also the president and secretary of the Lancashire Men’s Athletic Association and was elected president of Liverpool Harriers AC in 2003.

Birrell´s older brother Joe was also a sprint hurdler, who competed in the 1948 London Olympics. Unlike Joe, who was the 1948 AAA sprint hurdles champion, Bob never won a senior AAA title but was third in 1960 and 1964, and second in 1961 behind Italy´s Nereo Svara. The siblings died within eight months of each other in 2024.

Personal Best: 110H – 14.2 (1961).