Harry Green

For the footballer, see Harry Green (footballer).

Henry Harold "Harry" Green (15 July 1886 - 12 March 1934) was a British long-distance runner. He gained recognition by winning the London Poly in 1911 and setting a world's best in the marathon on 12 May 1913 with a time of 2:38:16.2 in London.[1] Green was most active before World War I.[2]

Green competed for the Sutton Harriers and won a marathon in Surrey on Boxing Day 1908.[3]

At the inaugural Polytechnic Marathon run in London on 8 May 1909 he finished third, behind Henry Barrett and Fred Lord, with a time of 2:49:00.8.[3][4]

Although the 1910 Polytechnic Marathon was cancelled due to the death of King Edward, Green was one of 49 who started the 1911 race that made its way from Windsor Castle to Stamford Bridge.[5][6] Competing for the Surrey Athletic Club, Green trailed Michael Ryan until Putney, 23 miles into the race.[6] Taking the lead, he finished four minutes in front of Ryan with a time of 2:46:29.8. The New York Times described him as being in "fresh condition" at the end of the race.[6]

Green was the favourite to win the 1912 Polytechnic Marathon, a race that also served as "England's tryouts for the Olympic games", but finished third behind James Corkery of Canada and Christian Gitsham of South Africa.[5][7] He finished fourteenth at the Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics - Men's marathon.[8]

Green was a member of the Herne Hill Harriers.[7][9][10]

In May 1913 he broke the world marathon record at a track in Shepherds Bush, with a time of 2h, 38m, 16.2s recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. Green's record lasted until the next 'Poly'.

Green worked at Harrods until he signed up as a private during World War I. He was decorated with the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the French Medaille Militaire for his service in the Gallipoli Campaign. Commissioned on the battlefield, he left the army with the rank of Captain.[10] After the war he ran a newsagents shop in Knights Hill, West Norwood and did not actively participate in major competitions.[10] Green died of pneumonia in 1934.[10] He was cremated at West Norwood Cemetery.

External links

References

  1. ^ Butler, Mark, ed. (2011) (pdf) 13th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Daegu 2011. Monaco: IAAF Media & Public Relations Department pp. 595, 612, 614–615 http://www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/06/10/33/61033_PDF_English.pdf. Retrieved September 29, 2011 
  2. ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/gr/harry-green-1.html
  3. ^ a b "The Polytechnic Hariers: Marathon Race And Sports". The Times. May 10, 1909. http://www.ianridpath.com/polymarathon/1909Timesreport.jpg. Retrieved September 30, 2011. 
  4. ^ Lambie, James "A Marathon Trophy" The Story of Your Life: A History of the Sporting Life Newspaper (1859-1998 Leicester, UK: Troubadour Publishing Ltd. pp. 276–278 ISBN 1848762917, 9781848762916 http://books.google.com/books?id=bJcbd-7pYlkC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA276#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved September 29, 2011 
  5. ^ a b "Polytechnic Harriers Marathon" Association of Road Racing Statisticians September 16, 2011 http://www.arrs.net/HP_PolyM.htm. Retrieved 30 September 2011 
  6. ^ a b c "MIKE RYAN SECOND IN RACE.; Irish-American Runner Weakens In Marathon in England.". The New York Times. 28 May 1911. http://www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/06/26/45/62645_PDF_English.pdf. Retrieved September 30, 2011. 
  7. ^ a b "ENGLAND'S OLYMPIC TRYOUTS; C.N. Seedhouse Equals Hillman's 400-Metre Record -- Corkery's Marathon.". The New York Times. 19 May 1912. http://article.archive.nytimes.com/1912/05/19/100583847.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJBTN455PTTBQQNRQ&Expires=1317601574&Signature=OU5teTIDbJ2F2m2%2BZb3Xm3dM%2BN4%3D. Retrieved 2 October 2011. 
  8. ^ http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1912/1912.pdf
  9. ^ http://www.hernehillharriers.com/olympians.htm
  10. ^ a b c d "Virgin London Marathon - In Harry's name" London Marathon 7 April 2011 http://lrn.london-marathon.com/harrys-name. Retrieved 5 October, 2011 
Records
Preceded by
Thure Johansson		 Men's Marathon World Record Holder
May 12, 1913 – May 31, 1913		 Succeeded by
Alexis Ahlgren