Johnny Webb

Race walker Johnny Webb was the first Basildon Athletics Club member to compete at the Olympic Games. Between 1966-72 he made eight international appearances for Great Britain, and it was not until retiring from the international scene that he won his first and only senior national title.

In 1966 Webb was third in the AAA 2-miles and in 1967 was runner-up to Malcolm Tolley in the 7-miles. In 1968 and 1969 Webb was second to Paul Nihill in the Road Walking Association (RWA) 10-miles, and was also second to Nihill in the RWA 20-miles in 1968. Nihilll was again the winner when Webb finished third in the RWA 20 in both 1966 and 1969. In 1973 Webb eventually won his first senior national title, at the age of 36. when he won the RWA 10-mile title at Leyland, Lancashire.

On the international stage, apart from the 1968 Mexico City Olympics when he finished 22nd in the 20km race, Webb finished 13th in the 20km at the 1966 European Championships in Budapest. Three years later in Athens, he improved to eighth, having also finished eighth in the IAAF World Race Walking Cup at Bad Saarow, East Germany. By profession, Webb worked at a training centre for adults with learning difficulties and every morning before going to work enjoyed reading his beloved Charles Dickens for 30 minutes.

Personal Best: 20kmW – 1-29:59 (1968).