Silver jubilee issue - British champions and most memorable moments
The silver jubilee edition of AW magazine was published on December 5, 1970, and 50 years on the publication's results guru Steve Smythe has taken a detailed look back through the issue.
Click here for a full summary of the edition, while further detail on the British champions article and most memorable moments section published within it are below.
Such was the importance of the AAA and WAAA Championships at this time, many events were often dominated by overseas competitors.
It sometimes meant that you might have to wait until sixth place for the first British athlete and this happened in the 1963 880 yards and 1958 triple jump.
Therefore, in its silver jubilee edition, AW listed the uncrowned British champions between 1946 and 1970.
The list of champions does controversially include some athletes who represented other countries in the Olympics such as Jamaican Arthur Wint with the proviso that athletes were included if they were part of the British athletics scene.
The championships became metric in 1969 but here we mostly focus on the championships with imperial distances.
Men's events
100 yards/100m
The winners include Trinidad-born McDonald Bailey, who did run for Britain in the Olympics. The hugely popular Bailey was winner every year between 1946 and 1953 except 1948 where Alastair McCorquodale was first Brit but no time was given for him as often in early post war years timekeepers did not bother to record place times!
The fastest 100 yards was Bailey’s 9.6 in both 1951 and 1952 with the majority of the times significantly slower and even in 1967 and 1968 it was 9.9. Bailey set a world 100m world record of 10.2 in 1951.
Peter Radford and Barrie Kelly each ‘won’ three titles while Lynn Davies was top Brit in 1964, the year of his Olympic long jump win.
220 yds/200m
Bailey also won seven titles in this event and Dave Jones was top for five consecutive years between 1959 and 1963 though was behind Kenyan Seraphino Antao in 1962.
Menzies Campbell, the ex leader of the Liberal Democrats, was British champion three times and his 1964 time of 21.1 was the fastest 220 yards.
440 yds/400m
Peter Fryer was overall champion three times between 1953 and 1955 and that number was matched by Robbie Brightwell who was top Brit in even years between 1960 and 1964 as his fellow Olympic relay medal-winning team-mate Adrian Metcalfe won it outright in 1961 and 1963.
Brightwell’s 45.9 win in 1962 - then a European record - was the fastest time though Trinidadian-born Wendell Mottley equalled the championships record in 1966, the year he won the Commonwealth Games by around a second.
880 yds/800m
Jamaican Wint was champion three times between 1946 and 1951 and was succeeded by Roger Bannister. European 1500m champion Brian Hewson was champion four times between 1953 and 1959. Chris Carter was top Brit for three consecutive years between 1964 and 1966, though did not ever actually win the title but John Boulter’s 1:47.3 overall victory in 1967 was the fastest of everyone including the overseas athletes over the distance.
Mile/1500m
Bill Nankeville - father of comedian Bobby Davro - was Britain's best on five occasions between 1947 and 1952, though he did not get a time in 1947, the year he did not win outright.
Bannister won it three times which was matched by Olympic fourth-placer Alan Simpson between 1963 and 1965. Surprisingly the fastest time was a mere 4:00.6 by Andy Green in 1967 and again that includes overseas runners.
Three miles/5000m
Alec Olney was British champion between 1947 and 1949 though trailed overseas athletes each time.
The 1962 European champion Bruce Tulloh won four British crowns (and three AAA titles) between 1959 and 1964.
The fastest British time was 1970 Commonwealth runner-up Ian McCafferty who ran 13:09.8 in 1967, though it should be noted that Australian Ron Clarke won it three times between 1965 and 1967 and all were inside 13 minutes.
As an amazing coincidence, the last three winners between 1968 and 1970 were all unrelated Stewarts - Lachie in 68, Ian in 1969 and Chris in 1970. Ian’s brother Peter would win a 1500m title in 1972.
Six miles/10,000m
The 1956 Olympic 5000m silver medallist Gordon Pirie won the AAA title three years in a row between 1951 and 1953 and then towards the end of his career in 1960.
No one else came close in this period though a young future world record-holder David Bedford won over 10,000m in the final year of this period in 1970 (and then won the next four).
The fastest time was 1968 Olympic marathoner Tim Johnston’s 27:22.2 in Olympic year and that was even marginally faster than Muhammad Gammoudi - who remarkably medalled in the 1964, 1968 and 1972 Olympics - ran in 1966.
10 miles
This event was last held in 1972 and the athlete who dominated it was the European and Commonwealth marathon champion Ron Hill who won it five years in a row between 1965 and 1969 and his fastest time - 47:02.2 - in 1968 was a world record.
Marathon
European and Commonwealth marathon champion Jack Holden and world record-holder Jim Peters each won it four years in a row between 1947 and 1954. The latter had a spectacular collapse in the 1954 Commonwealth Games and never raced again.
However both were topped by 1962 European and Commonwealth winner Brian Kilby who won it five times in a row between 1960 and 1964.
The fastest time was by Hill in 1969 with 2:13:42.0.
3000m steeplechase (2 miles up to 1953)
The 1952 Olympic bronze medallist John Disley was Britain’s best five times (winning three outright) between 1950 and 1957.
Eric Shirley, still competing in 2020, won it three times in 1956, 1958 and 1960, at which stage he had the three fastest winning times. See the December issue of AW for an in-depth interview with Shirley.
The 1964 Olympic silver medallist Maurice Herriott though is the most successful, winning the AAA eight times including seven successive between 1961 and 1967 and his 8:33.8 in the final year was the quickest of anyone up to 1970.
120 yds hurdles/110m hurdles
Peter Hildreth, who went on to become the Sunday Telegraph athletics correspondent, headed the list six times between 1950 and 1958 though only won the AAA title three times.
Alan Pascoe who went on to win the Commonwealth 400m hurdles and head a successful marketing company, was first Brit three times but only won one AAA title - though did win two more in the early seventies.
Olympic 400m hurdles champion David Hemery, who won the AAA title in 1966 and 1970, was the only athlete to dip inside 14 seconds in this period in 1970 (the year of his Commonwealth triumph) with a 13.9 clocking.
400m hurdles
Harry Whittle won the AAA title seven years in a row between 1947 and 1954.
Tom Farrell (1956-1958) and Olympic silver medallist John Cooper (1963-1965) were both leading Brits three consecutive years though both only won the AAA title once. The 1968 Olympic bronze medallist John Sherwood did win the AAA title three times between 1966 and 1969 and his 50.1 in the final year was the fastest in this period though as that was over 400m, Hemery’s 50.2 in his Olympic winning year was actually the better performance.
High jump
Alan Paterson, the 1950 European champion, was first Brit four times between 1946 and 1950 and won the AAA title three times.
Crawford Fairbrother was the most successful, however, with seven UK leads though he only won the title three times.
The best performance in this period from an athlete with a British connection came from Ghana’s Commonwealth medallist Robert Kotei with a championships record 2.08m way back in 1960.
Pole vault
The 1954 and 1958 Commonwealth champion Geoff Elliott was the leading Brit five times between 1952 and 1958, winning the title three times. The 1970 Commonwealth champion Mike Bull did likewise (five UK and three AAA) between 1966 and 1970. He had the best UK performance of the period by far with a 4.90m in 1970 and also won the AAA the next two years.
Long jump
Apart from dominating the 400m hurdle lists, Whittle also won two AAA titles here. Roy Cruttenden was leading Brit four times between 1954 and 1958, winning the AAA title twice, though Olympic, European and Commonwealth champion Davies won five AAA titles between 1964 and 1969 and had the only winning jump in excess of eight metres with a championships best of 8.06m in 1966.
Triple jump
Ken Wilmshurst, who won the Commonwealth long and triple jumps in 1954, was top Brit six times consecutively between 1953 and 1958, winning the AAA title five times. Another multi talented jumper Fred Alsop was British best seven times between 1960 and 1968, winning the title five times to add to his three AAA long jump titles.
Alsop’s 15.92m in 1964 (the year he was fourth in the Olympics) was the best British mark.
Shot put
The 1954 Commonwealth champion John Savidge was Britain’s best five times consecutively between 1950 and 1954, winning the AAA title three times. The five in a row was matched by 1958 European and Commonwealth champion Arthur Rowe between 1957 and 1961 and he also won the title all those years.
1970 Commonwealth silver medallist Jeff Teale was Britain’s best four years in a row between 1967 and 1970, winning the title twice, but the best British mark was Rowe’s 18.58m in 1961.
Discus
1954 Commonwealth bronze medallist Mark Pharoah was Britain’s best six years in a row between 1951 and 1956, improving each time, and he won the title four times. Mike Lindsay, the 1962 Commonwealth silver medallist at both shot and discus, was Britain’s best five times between 1957 and 1965, taking the title three times.
Bill Tancred won the AAA title five years in a row between 1966 and 1970 (and also took the title in 1972 and 1973) but the best mark by an athlete with a British connection was Roy Hollingsworth with 54.81m in 1964. He competed in the Commonwealth Games for England in 1962 and Trinidad in 1964.
Hammer
Scotland’s 1950 Commonwealth champion Duncan Clark was Britain’s best for six years between 1946 and 1952, though only won the AAA title twice. The 1958 Commonwealth champion Mike Ellis won four AAA titles in a row between 1957 and 1960.
Howard Payne, who won Commonwealth gold for England three times between 1962 and 1970, but competed for Zimbabwe in 1958, was Britain’s best a remarkable 10 years in a row between 1961 and 1970 and his 67.66m in 1970 was the best UK mark in this period. However, against tough foreign opposition, he only won the AAA title three times but did also win it in 1971 and 1973.
Javelin
Mike Denley was Britain’s best four years in a row between 1950 and 1953, winning the AAA title in three of the events and four UK and three AAA titles was matched by 1970 Commonwealth champion Dave Travis between 1965 and 1970 and his 80.04m in 1969 was the only British throw in excess of 80 metres.
Decathlon
Les Pinder won the AAA title four years in a row between 1951 and 1954 and Colin Andrews did it three times between 1958 and 1960.
Peter Gabbett, the 1970 Commonwealth silver medallist, won three AAA titles between 1967 and 1970 and his 7331 score in the last of these was the best mark.
2 miles and 3000m walk
Harry Churcher only won one AAA title in this period but he was Britain’s best four years in a row between 1946 and 1949 (and also won the AAA title in 1939).
The 1964 Olympic 20km champion Ken Matthews won five AAA titles between 1959 and 1964.
The fastest two miles time though is 1960 Olympic 20km bronze medallist and 1958 European champion Stan Vickers' 13:02.4 in 1960.
20 kilometres walk
This was first held in 1965 and Paul Nihill, the 1964 Olympic runner-up and 1969 European 20km champion, won the AAA title four years out of five between 1965 and 1969 and had the fastest time of 90:07 in 1969. He also took the title in 1971 and 1972.
Ron Wallwork, who won in 1967, and won Commonwealth gold in 1966, is still involved in the sport and sends results to AW.
50 kilometres walk
The 1960 Olympic champion Don Thompson stands out as he won seven years in a row from 1956 and 1962 and also in 1966. His 4:12:19 in 1959 is the best mark in this period.
Cross country
Three athletes won the National three times in this period. Frank Aaron (1949 to 1951), Gordon Pirie (1953 to 1955) and Basil Heatley (1960 to 1963).
Women's events
The women’s championships was run entirely separately from the men's in this period and they curiously went metric from 1945 to 1951, in 1960 and from 1968.
100 yds/100m
1958 Commonwealth sprint relay gold medallist June Foulds (later June Paul) was WAAA champion three times between 1950 and 1956 but that was easily topped by 1960 Olympic silver medallist Dorothy Hyman who won the title five times between 1959 and 1969.
The fastest British 100 yards time in this period came from Olympic relay medallist Daphne Slater’s 10.5 win in 1966.
The 1969 European 200m medallist Val Peat had the quickest 100m time with her 11.5 in 1968.
220yds/200m
1952 Olympic relay medallist Sylvia Cheeseman won six WAAA titles between 1946 and 1952.
Hyman matched her 100m titles with five wins spread over the 10 years though also again it was Slater who was fastest but this time under her maiden name Arden with 23.6 for 220 yards in 1964. Peat ran the same time in 1968 but for the slightly shorter 200m.
440yds/400m
Valerie Ball - later Winn - who set a world 880 yards world record in 1952, was WAAA champion six years in a row between 1948 and 1953. Janet Reiff won three WAAA titles between 1955 and 1957.
The fastest British time was by 1964 Olympic runner-up (and 800m champion) Ann Packer who won in 1964 in 54.3.
1969 European relay gold medallist Janet Simpson was faster over 400m in winning in 53.9 in 1968.
880yds/800m
Nellie Batson won the WAAA title three times between 1947 and 1951 and that was matched by world mile record-holder Diane Leather between 1954 and 1957.
That total was surpassed by her successor Joy Jordan who set a world record in 1960 as she won five WAAA titles between 1958 and 1962.
Anne Smith, who set world records at 1500m and the mile in 1967, won the last four 880 yards titles on offer between 1964 and 1967. Her 2:04.2 in 1966 was the quickest half mile time but the fastest British run of the period came at 800m from future European champion Lillian Board with 2:02.0 in 1968 (behind Vera Nikolic).
Mile/1500m
Four athletes won it twice but the only athlete to better this was 1970 Commonwealth champion Rita Ridley who was Britain’s best five years in succession between 1966 and 1970 though she did not win the WAAA title in 1969. She had the fastest mile of 4:47.9 in 1966 and the fastest 1500m of 4:15.4 in 1970.
80m hurdles/100m hurdles
The 1948 Olympic silver medallist Maureen Gardner won the WAAA title four times between 1947 and 1951 which was matched by Jean Desforges - perhaps even better known under her married name of Pickering - who won it four times between 1949 and 1954 to overlap with Gardner.
Pat Pryce was Britain’s best six times between 1963 and 1968 and won the WAAA title in all bar one but was helped by there being both a 80 metres and 100 metres hurdles in those years.
Likewise Pat Jones won four WAAA times between 1965 and 1967.
Pryce’s 10.7 in 1964 was the fastest British time over 80 metres hurdles and that year she also ran the fastest 100m hurdles of the period with 13.4.
200m hurdles
Both Pryce (1961 to 1963) and Jones (1964 to 1967) won three WAAA titles each here too with Jones’ 27.3 in 1967 being the fastest.
High jump
Sheila Lerwill, a world record-holder and 1952 Olympic silver medallist, won the WAAA title four times between 1950 and 1954 though that was bettered by 1960 Olympic silver medallist Dorothy Shirley who won it five times between 1960 and 1970.
The best jump was shared with 1.72m by Lerwill all the way back in 1951, Frances Slaap in 1964 and Barbara Inkpen in 1969.
Long jump
No one won it more than twice until Olympic champion Rand who won the WAAA title five times between 1959 and 1966 and she was additionally British best one other time. Her 6.58m in 1964 was the longest jump.
Packer, the 1964 Olympic 800m winner, surprisingly won this event in 1960.
Shot
Bevis Reid won four times between 1947 and 1951 (and she also won pre-war in 1938 and 1939) but this was surpassed by Sue Allday who won seven titles between 1954 and 1963. She won four Commonwealth throwing medals in her career. Future Olympic pentathlon champion Mary Peters was British best three times between 1964 and 1970 though only champion twice.
Brenda Bedford was British best four years running from 1966 to 1969, winning three WAAA titles, but she did win three more titles from 1973 to 1977.
Her 15.22m in 1969 was the best British throw of the period from 1945 to 1970.
Discus
Reid won three more titles here but 1958 Commonwealth champion Allday again trumped her with nine British successes from 1952 to 1963 though she only won the WAAA a mere seven times.
1970 Commonwealth champion Rosemary Payne, who became a multi masters world record-holder, was Britain’s best for seven years - every year from 1964 to 1970 - though such was the foreign invasion, she only won three WAAA titles.
Javelin
Diane Coates won four WAAA titles between 1950 and 1955 but the stand out performer in this event is Sue Platt, the 1962 Commonwealth champion. She won eight WAAA titles between 1959 and 1969 as well as earning a further British best. She also had the longest British throw of the period with 53.26m in 1968.
Pentathlon
Margaret Rowley won three WAAA titles between 1955 and 1957 but it was Olympic and Commonwealth champion Peters who dominates with seven titles between 1962 and 1970. Her 4841 score in 1970 was the best mark.
Track walk
Held over a variety of distances, Judy Farr is out on her own with 10 titles between 1960 and 1970.
Road walk
Dily Williams (1952-1956) and Farr (1962-1968) each won five titles.
Cross country
Mile record-holder Leather won four titles here between 1953 and 1956 and this was matched by Pam Davies between 1965 and 1968.
Future British 1500m record-holder and double London Marathon winner Joyce Smith won two titles in 1959 and 1960 and she ran in the first Olympic marathon 24 years later in 1984.
In the magazine's most memorable section there is great detail on various performances chosen by well known personalities as they share their highlight from the past 25 years.
However, Neil Allen of the Times couldn't choose between Wint and McKenley in the 1948 Olympic 400m, Courtney and Johnson at 800m in 1956, Chataway over Kuts over 5000m in 1956, Packer in 1964 800m, Duclos v Besson at 400m in European 1969 or Lillian Board's 400m leg v Besson in 1969!
AW's Dave Cocksedge chose Stewart v McCafferty v Keino in the 1970 Commonwealth 5000m.
Top coach John Le Masurier chose Mary's Rand's 1964 Olympic long jump.
Cliff Temple of the Sunday Times chose Bruce Tulloh's 1962 European 5000m win.
Peter Hildreth of the Sunday Telegraph chose Gordon Pirie's world 3000m record.
BBC Statistician Stan Greenberg chose Jamaica beating USA in the 1952 Olympic 4x400m.
Top coach Denis Watts, who was an AAA champion triple jumper in 1946 and 1947, chose being a coach at the Europe v Western Hemisphere match in Stuttgart.
Statistician Norris McWhirter chose Valeriy Brumel's 2.28m world high jump record in 1963.
AW editor Mel Watman chose Brightwell's 4x400m leg in the 1964 Olympics.
Photographer Ed Lacey selected Bannister's 3:59.4.
Roy Moor of the Daily Mail chose Bannister v Landy in the 1964 Commonwealth Mile.
AW walks correspondent Colin Young chose the 1962 European Championships decathlon.
And finally AW founder Jimmy Green selected Kuts v Chataway at White City in 1954.
» Click here to read more from Steve Smythe as he analyses the 1970 silver jubilee issue of AW
» For more on the latest athletics news, athletics events coverage and athletics updates, check out the AW homepage and our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
