Harry Hicks

Harry Hicks started his athletics career as a miler and was second in the four-lap event at the 1946 British Games, and third at that year’s Southern Counties Championships. He was provisionally selected for the 1500 metres for the 1948 London Olympics, but not selected to make the short distance from his North London home.

By 1951, Hicks was running over three miles and finished third in the AAAs that year. He upped his distance further, and in 1954 won the Middlesex county six miles title. The natural progression took him to the marathon, which he dovetailed with his cross-country running in the winter of 1955/56 and in 1956 he won the AAA marathon title at Port Sunlight on the Wirral peninsular.

Hicks was one of three Britons in the marathon at the Melbourne Olympics and, out of 44 starters, was the only one of the three to finish (in 15th place). He was also the highest placed native English-speaking runner. Hicks also competed in the International Cross-Country Championships, finishing 16th in 1949, and 22nd the following year. He was a member of the England team that finished second and third respectively.

After his racing days, Hicks became a fine administrator. He was the Southern Cross-Country Association’s secretary for many years and sat on English Cross-Country Union committees until the late 1980s. Hicks was president of the English Cross-Country Association in 1993

Personal Best: Mar – 2-22:37 (1956).