Les Lewis

Les Lewis was a member of the Surrey team that won the first post-war County Championship title, and was also on the winning team in the next two seasons. In 1948 and 1949, he won the Surrey 220 yard and Southern Counties quarter-mile titles. Having finished runner-up to Derek Pugh in the 1949 AAAs 440, he beat Pugh to win the title in 1950. Lewis finished third in 1951 and second to Arthur Wint the following year, when Lewis also appeared in his second Olympics where his fifth place in the 4x400 metres relay at Helsinki was his best finish in two Games.

Lewis won three silver medals at the 1950 British Empire Games at Auckland; in the individual 400 yards (in a personal best 48.0), the 4x110 relay with Brian Shenton, Jack Archer, and Nick Stacey and 4x440 relay with Derek Pugh, John Parlett, and Terry Higgins. Lewis also reached the semi-final of the 100 yards, but was disqualified after winning his 220y heat for putting his foot on the line. He won gold in the 4x400 relay at the European Championships that same year at Bruxelles (Brussels). Shortly after the 1952 Olympics, Lewis returned to New Zealand to live there permanently, where he continued his career as a schoolteacher.

Personal Best: 400 – 47.7y (1950).