Fred Hulford

After joining Herne Hill harriers in 1903, Frederick Hulford moved to Birchfield Harriers in 1905 and two years later joined Surrey AC. In 1905 he represented England in the International Cross-Country and won the Midland mile and 4 miles titles. After winning the Midland mile again in 1906-07, he virtually gave up the sport before making a comeback for the 1912 Olympics, having little difficulty in making the team for Stockholm. In 1913, Hulford won the Midland 440y title, an astonishing achievement for a man who had been the 4 miles champion eight years earlier and finished third to Dorando Pietri (ITA) in a 20-mile road race in Paris in 1905. At the AAAs he had earlier displayed similar versatility: finishing fourth in the 10 miles in 1905, winning the 4 miles in 1906, and placing sixth at 880y in 1912. After World War I, he began a career as a starter and became the world’s most respected authority. He was Chief Starter at all the major meetings in England including the 1934 British Empire Games and the 1948 Olympic Games, and he also coached the starters for the 1952 and 1956 Olympics.

Personal Bests: 220y – 22.6 (1913); 400 – 49.8 (1913); 800 – 1:57.4; Mile - 4:25.4; 2 miles – 9:43.2 (1906).