Thames Valley Harriers

Thames Valley Harriers (TVH) is an athletics club based in West London, England. It is based at the Linford Christie Stadium which is named after Olympic 100 metres gold medallist Linford Christie.

In track and field, TVH competes in the Premiership Division of the National Athletics League as well as the Division 1 of the . In 2016 TVH's ladies team won the .

The club also competes in road running and cross country at national, regional and county level. In recognition of the club's recent success - and TVH's record of strong contribution to its local community - England Athletics voted Thames Valley Harriers the top London Club for 2015.

History[]

Thames Valley Harriers is one of the UK's longest-established and most successful athletics clubs. It was founded in 1887 ^[1] by seven aspiring cross-country runners who used the 'Peels' coffee house in Richmond Road, West London as a base for their training runs. Christened the East Twickenham Harriers, the club flourished and to reflect its widening horizons took the name Thames Valley Harriers on 14 November 1890.

TVH became a force both on the track and in endurance races. The 1908 Olympics at nearby White City Stadium increased the club's profile and a first Olympian was secured in 1936 when George Traynor competed in the long jump alongside Jesse Owens.

Other standout performers included Ken Norris who finished second in the 1954 world cross country championships and Ron Hopcroft who set world records for both the 50 and 100 miles. TVH was also the club where middle-distance coach Frank Horwill first developed his methods, including the creation of the British Milers Club in 1963.

TVH was a founding member of the British Athletics League in 1969 and enjoyed great success over the next two decades, winning the title three times and finishing in the top three on a total of 14 occasions, as well as achieving multiple wins in the Southern road relays and cross country championships.

This success provided the momentum for the club to build a new clubhouse at the West London Stadium by Wormwood Scrubs, which was completed in 1979. From this platform emerged TVH's greatest ever athlete – Linford Christie - who claimed a haul of international sprint medals including 1992 Olympic 100m gold in Barcelona. The West London Stadium was renamed the Linford Christie Stadium in his honour and he still serves as the Club President.

2021 saw the launch of a new National Athletics League, combining the former British Athletics League (BAL) for men and UK Women's Athletics League (UKWAL) into one competition. Thames Valley Harriers won all four of the club's matches to win the title.^[2]

Honours[]

National Athletics League[]

2021 Winners

British Athletics League (senior men)[]

- First Place: 1970, 1971, 1994
- Second Place: 1972, 1973, 1975, 1995, 1997
- Third Place: 1969, 1974, 1976, 1979, 1991, 1996

UK Women's Athletic League (senior women)[]

- First Place: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
- Second Place: 2016
- Third Place: 2014
European Club Champions Cup
- First Place: 2016

Notable athletes[]

Olympians[]

Athlete	Events	Olympics
George Traynor	long jump	1936
Alec Olney	5000 metres	1948
Michael Denley	javelin throw	1952
Ken Norris	10000 metres	1956
David Segal^[3]	100 metres, 200 metres, 4x100 metres relay	1956, 1960
Jimmy Omagbemi	200 metres4x100 metres relay	1960, 1964
Mike Wiggs^[4]	1500 metres	1960, 1964
Alf Meakin^[5]	100 metres	1960
Dick Steane^[6]	200 metres	1964
Martin Reynolds^[7]	400 metres4x400 metres relay	1972
	4x100 metres relay	1980
Rod Milne	4x400 metres relay	1980
Clifford Mamba	100 metres, 200 metres	1984
Linford Christie	100 metres, 4x100 metres relay	1988, 1992, 1996
Julian Golley	triple jump	1992
Sanusi Turay	100 metres, 4x100 metres relay	1992, 1996
Ambwene Simukonda	400 metres	2012
Lorraine Ugen	long jump	2016, 2020
Zoey Clark	4x400 metres relay	2020
Ricardo dos Santos	400 metres	2020