Birchfield Harriers
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox athletics club
Birchfield Harriers is an athletics club, founded in 1877. Its home is at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium, England.
As well as welcoming recreational runners they cater for all levels of experience up to and including Olympic athletes whether able-bodied or wheelchair-using athletes.
The Club's motto is Fleet and Free.
History


Founded in 1877, the Harriers were named after the Birchfield district of Birmingham.<ref name="BH1988" />
In 1908 Archie Robertson was Birchfield's first Olympic gold medallist.<ref name="GBO">Template:Cite news</ref>
From 1929 to 1977, the Harriers were based<ref name="BH1988">Template:Cite book</ref>), at nearby Perry Barr, was Alexander Sports Ground,<ref name="BH1988" /> which, until its demolition in October 2025, still carried their badge, a running stag, rendered in this case in Art Deco style, carved in 1929 and attributed to William Bloye.<ref name="Noszlopy">Public Sculpture of Birmingham, George T. Noszlopy, Liverpool University Press, 1998, Template:ISBN</ref> Both venues were named for members of the Alexander family, who were prominent members of the club.<ref name="BH1988" />
Pat Cropper was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her running achievements in the 1974 Birthday Honours.<ref name="BH1988"/> In 1993, Peter Radford served as Chairman of UK Athletics.<ref name="Radford">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In the 2000 New Year Honours, heptathlete Denise Lewis was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).<ref name=gazette2>Template:London Gazette</ref> In 2010, coach Norma Blaine was made an MBE in the New Years Honours announced on 31 December 2010, for her services to athletics.<ref name="Savvas">Template:Cite news</ref>
Tom McCook, a former athlete and club chairman, was the club's President from 2001 until standing down at the end of 2013.<ref name="GBO-2012-01-04">Template:Cite news</ref>
Honours
- British Athletics League, champions 1969, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
- UK Women's Athletic League, champions 2011, 2012, 2016
Notable athletes
Olympians
| Athlete | Events | Games | Medals/Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daphne Arden | 100m, 200m, 4x100m | 1964 | |
| Meghan Beesley | 400m hurdles | 2020 | |
| Ainsley Bennett | 200m, 4x400m | 1976 | |
| Joe Blewitt | 5000m, 3,000m team, 3000m steeplechase | 1920, 1928 | |
| Robbie Brightwell | 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m | 1960, 1964 | |
| Audrey Brown | 100m, 4x100m | 1936 | |
| Godfrey Brown | 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m | 1936 | |
| Phil Brown | 400m, 4x400m | 1984, 1988 | |
| Daniel Caines | 400m, 4x400m | 2000, 2004 | |
| Geoff Capes | shot put | 1972, 1976, 1980 | |
| Gladys Clarke | javelin | 1948 | |
| Charles Clibbon | 5000m, 10,000m | 1920, 1924 | |
| John Cooper | 400m hurdles, 4x400m | 1964, 1968 | |
| Clova Court | heptathlon | 1992 | |
| Dave Cropper | 800m | 1968, 1972 | |
| Sidney Cross | triple jump | 1948 | |
| Jock Dalrymple | javelin | 1924 | |
| Samantha Davies | 200m, 4x100m | 2000 | |
| Zoe Derham | hammer throw | 2008 | |
| Cyril Dugmore | triple jump | 1928 | |
| Cyril Ellis | 1500m | 1924, 1928 | |
| Sally Ellis | marathon | 1992 | |
| Mike Farrell | 800m | 1956 | |
| Stewart Faulkner | long jump | 1988 | |
| Joel Fearon | bobsleigh | 2014, 2018 | |
| Walter Freeman | cross country | 1920 | |
| Helen Frost | 4x400m | 2000 | |
| Elliot Giles | 800m | 2016, 2020 | |
| Billy Green | 400m | 1928 | |
| Jack Hambidge | 200m | 1928 | |
| John Hanlon | 400m | 1928 | |
| Lorraine Hanson | 400m | 1992 | |
| Louise Hazel | heptathlon | 2012 | |
| Julie Hollman | heptathlon | 2008 | |
| Harry Houghton | 800m | 1924, 1928 | |
| Matt Hudson-Smith | 400m, 4x400m | 2016 | |
| Fred Hulford | 800m, 1500m | 1912 | |
| David Jenkins | 400m, 4x400m | 1972, 1976, 1980 | |
| Pat Jones | 80m hurdles | 1968 | |
| Winnie Jordan | 100m | 1948 | |
| Helen Karagounis | 4x400m | 2004 | |
| Karl Keska | 10,000m | 2000 | |
| Du'aine Ladejo | 400m, 4x400m | 1992, 1996 | |
| Mark Lewis-Francis | 100m, 4x100m | 2004 | |
| Denise Lewis | long jump, heptathlon | 1996, 2000, 2004 | |
| Fred Light | 5,000m team | 1928 | |
| Judy Livermore-Simpson | pentathlon, heptathlon | 1980, 1984, 1988 | |
| Vincent Loney | 1500m | 1908 | |
| Pat Lowe-Cropper | 800m | 1968, 1972 | |
| Bertram Macdonald | 3000m team | 1924 | |
| Ruth Martin-Jones | long jump | 1972 | |
| Germaine Mason | high jump | 2008 | |
| Eric McCalla | triple jump | 1984 | |
| Katharine Merry | 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m | 1996, 2000 | |
| Aston Moore | triple jump | 1976 | |
| Mica Moore | bobsleigh | 2018 | |
| John Morbey | long jump | 1964 | |
| Brett Morse | discus throw | 2012 | |
| Template:Flagicon Adam Nelson | shot put | 2000, 2004, 2008 | |
| Sidney Newey | 3000m steeplechase | 1924 | |
| Tom Parsons | high jump | 2008 | |
| Howard Payne | hammer throw | 1964, 1968, 1972 | |
| Shara Proctor | long jump | 2012, 2016 | |
| Carole Quinton | 80m hurdles, 4x100m | 1956, 1960 | |
| Peter Radford | 100m, 200m, 4x100m | 1960, 1964 | |
| Mike Rawson | 800m | 1956 | |
| Derek Redmond | 400m | 1988, 1992 | |
| Template:Flagicon Sarah Reilly | 100m, 200m | 2000 | |
| Template:Flagicon Jean Roberts | discus throw | 1968 | |
| Arthur Robertson | 5 miles, 3 miles team, 3,200m steeplechase | 1908 | |
| Michael Rosswess | 200m | 1988 | |
| John Salisbury | 400m | 1956 | |
| Sue Scott-Reeve | pentathlon, long jump | 1968, 1976, 1980 | |
| John Sherwood | 400m hurdles, 4x400m | 1964, 1968, 1972 | |
| Donald Slack | pentathlon, decathlon | 1964 | |
| Ray Smedley | 1500m | 1972 | |
| Glen Smith | discus throw | 1996, 2000 | |
| Kelly Sotherton | heptathlon, 4 x 400m | 2004, 2008 | |
| Ian Stewart | 500m | 1972, 1976 | |
| Mary Stewart | 1500m | 1976 | |
| Stuart Storey | 110m hurdles | 1968 | |
| Danny Talbot | 200m, 4 x 100m | 2012, 2016 | |
| Bill Tancred | discus throw | 1968, 1972 | |
| Eddie Webster | 10,000m, cross country | 1924 | |
| Bob Weir | discus throw, hammer throw | 1984, 1996, 2000 | |
| Nick Whitehead | 4 x100m | 1960 | |
| Malcolm Yardley | 400m, 4x400m | 1960 |
Other
Bibliography
References
External links
- Template:Official website
- Walter Freeman interview Recorded 1980 with a former Harrier