Ron Hill

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameRonald J. "Ron"•Hill
Used nameRon•Hill
Born25 September 1938 in Accrington, England (GBR)
Died23 May 2021 in Tameside, England (GBR)
Measurements167 cm / 61 kg
AffiliationsBolton Harriers, Bolton (GBR)
NOC Great Britain

Biography

Ron Hill won eight AAA titles. He was the 10 miles champion five times between 1965-69, 6 miles champion in 1963, and captured the marathon title twice, in 1967 and 1971. In addition, Hill enjoyed seven other podium finishes between 1964 and 1973.

Hill was born in Accrington and attended the local grammar school. He was a member of the Clayton-le-Moors club, but after winning a scholarship to Manchester University in 1957, he joined the Bolton United Harriers. He obtained a degree in textile chemistry and stayed on at university to do his Ph.D. By that time he was representing England and Great Britain, and in 1963 he won his first AAA title and also won the 5,000 metre bronze medal at that year’s 1963 Summer Universiade at Porto Alegre.

Hill went on to win the gold medal in the marathon at the 1969 Athina European Championships, and the following year, representing England, won the marathon title at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh when he became only the second man to run the distance under 2-10. Also in 1970, Hill became the first Briton to win the Boston Marathon, and in a record 2-10:30. At the 1971 Europeans he won the marathon bronze. Unfortunately, Hill never won an Olympic medal, with his sixth place in the 1972 marathon being his best finish.

Hill broke world records at 10 and 15 miles, and also 25,000 metres, the first being on his home track at Bolton in 1965, when he deprived Emil Zatopek of his 15 miles and 25k records. He twice broke the 10 miie world record in 1968.

Between 1962-68 Hill competed in the International Cross-Country Championship six times and was on the England winning team on each occasion. Individually, he was runner-up in 1964 and 1968, to Paco Aritmendi (Spain) and Mohamad Gammoudi (Tunisia) respectively. Hill won the National Cross-Country title in 1966 and 1968.

When Hill ran his last marathon, in the 100th Boston race in 1996, he had accumulated 115 races over the distance since running in, and winning, the 1961 Liverpool Marathon.

He re-joined the Clayton-le-Moors club in 1976 and continued to break British over-40 age group records. By the time he had reached the age of 70, Hill had competed in more than 100 countries, including Hong Kong where he went to compete in the inaugural China Coast Marathon in 1981. Organised by the Athletic Veterans of Hong Kong (AVOHK), Hill won in 2-34 which was still the race record at the time of his death 40 years later. When he eventually retired, Hill reckoned he had contested over 2,260 races in his lifetime.

Hill was also a successful businessman and founded Ron Hill Sports in 1970 and they were the first company to use synthetic fabrics in sportswear. He also designed mesh running vests with low-cut necklines, and side-split shorts that also allowed air to flow around the body when running.

In 1964 Hill set himself a target of running at least one mile every day and he did that consecutively for 52 years and 39 days, or 19,033 days, until illness forced him to discontinue after his final run on 28 January 2017 at the age of 78. The following year Hill was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

Hill was awarded the MBE in 1971 for his services to athletics. The word “legend” is often used to describe sportsmen or women, but in the case of Ron Hill, it was certainly not overstated.

Personal Bests: 10000 – 28:39.0 (1969); Mar – 2-09:28 (1970).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1964 Summer Olympics Athletics GBR Ron Hill
10,000 metres, Men (Olympic) 18
Marathon, Men (Olympic) 19
1968 Summer Olympics Athletics GBR Ron Hill
10,000 metres, Men (Olympic) 7
1972 Summer Olympics Athletics GBR Ron Hill
Marathon, Men (Olympic) 6

Special Notes