Bryan Eley

Bristol’s track and road walker Bryan Eley finished second to the 1964 Olympic silver medallist Paul Nihill in the Race Walking Association (RWA) 50- and the 35-Kilometre Championships in 1968 and 1969 respectively. In the second of those years, however, Eley won his only senior RWA title when he took the 50km title, winning by five minutes from Shaun Lightman.

Eley started walking with the Trowbridge Athletic Club before joining the Bristol Walking Club. He won many local titles and was the South-West of England champion. Eley enjoyed a special moment in the 83.2-kilometre London to Brighton Open walk in 1967 when he finished second, just two minutes behind the 1960 Olympic gold medallist Don Thompson. Eley was only the 11th man to break eight hours for the race in its 117-year-history, and was also only the second man to break that barrier on his début. Eley went in to win the coveted event in 1968 and 1969.

Eley, who worked in the research and development department for the cigarette manufacturer W. D. & H. O. Wills near Bristol, went to the 1968 Mexico Olympics and finished a creditable seventh in the 50km. At the European Championships at Athens the following year, both Eley and Lightman dropped out at around the 30km mark with exhaustion from the extreme heat.

Personal Best: 50kmW – 4-19:13 (1969).