Tom Richards (athlete)

Tom Richards (actually Thomas John Henry Richards, born March 15, 1910 in Upper Cwmbran, Wales, † 19 January 1985 in London ) was a British marathon runner who was successful in the 1940s and 1950s.

In 1939 he finished fourth in 1941 and second at the Polytechnic Marathon.

In 1943 he was second at the Polytechnic Marathon, winning in races in Dundee and Wolverhampton, in 1944 he won the Polytechnic Marathon and Wolverhampton. In 1945, he defended his title at the Polytechnic Marathon in 1946 followed a fourth place in the " poly ", a third in the English Championship.

In 1947 he was twice under 2:40 hours, as second in the Polytechnic Marathon ( 2:37:30 h ) and Loughborough ( 2:36:07 h), where he was beaten only by Jack Holden.

The following year, he qualified with a second place at the Polytechnic Marathon for the Olympic Games in London in 1948, where a total of 41 runners took to the start. The 38 -year-old Richards showed up in great shape and needed only according to the Argentine Delfo Cabrera ( gold in 2:34:51,6 h) to admit defeat. In 2:35:07,6 h he won the silver medal in front of the Belgian Etienne Gailly who crossed 26 seconds behind him.

In 1949, he was ( had given up when the Olympic marathon) only by Holden in his two races beaten: in Birmingham, where he sailed into 2:38:08 h, and the Enschede Marathon, where he at one of more than two kilometers short distance needed 2:24:04 hours. A sixth place finish at the British Empire Games in 1950 in 2:42:11 ( nine and a half minutes behind the winner Holden ) in Auckland followed in the same year of winning the Welsh Cup.

In 1951 he was runner up in the British Championship and third in Enschede, 1952, he won a marathon in Port Talbot in 2:30:41, and 1953, he finished fourth in the Welsh Cup. The following year he exhibited at the age of 44 years on June 26, sixth in the Polytechnic Marathon with 2:29:59 h his personal best. In 1955 he was re- Welsh champion.

Tom Richards started for the South London Harriers. By profession he was a nurse.