Derek Graham

Last updated

Derek Graham
Personal information
NationalityBritish (Northern Irish)
Born (1941-09-03) 3 September 1941 (age 84)
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight68 kg (150 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
Club9th Old Boys Harriers, Belfast

Derek Austin Graham (born 3 September 1941) is a retired distance athlete from Northern Ireland. The first Northern Irish runner to break 4 minutes for the mile, he was ranked number 1 in the U.K. and Ireland over 2 miles/3000 m, 3 miles/5000 m and cross country at various periods in the 1960s.

Contents

Biography

Graham competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics for Great Britain, finishing seventh in his initial heat for the 5000m race. [1]

Graham was selected for nine consecutive International cross country races (later to be recognised as the World Cross country), finishing second in 1966 in Rabat, Morocco. He also competed in the 1966 European Championships.

Graham represented the 1966 Northern Irish Team [2] at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, [3] participating in the two athletics events; [4] the 1 mile race [5] and the 3 miles race. [6]

Graham was a 21-times Northern Irish champion, winning the mile title six times, the cross-country title seven times, the 3 miles title seven times and 6 mile title in 1967. [7]

He was the Irish record holder for various distances[ which? ] through this time. At the 1970 British Commonwealth Games, Graham picked up a virus which later developed into myalgic encephalomyelitis, ultimately ending his athletics career.

Personal bests

DistanceMark
1 mile3:59.2
3000 m8:03
2 miles8:33.8
3 miles13:15.6
5000 m13:41.4
10,000 m29:00.06
Half marathon1:03:53

References

  1. ↑ "Biographical information". Olympedia. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
  2. ↑ "No surprises in Games Team" . Belfast News-Letter. 21 June 1966. p. 11. Retrieved 14 November 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ↑ "Three more for Empire Games Team" . Belfast News-Letter. 12 July 1966. p. 1. Retrieved 14 November 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ↑ "Northern Ireland Kingston 1966". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
  5. ↑ "Athletics 1 mile - Men Kingston 1966". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "Athletics 3 miles - Men Kingston 1966". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
  7. ↑ "Northern Irish Championships". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Men's Half Marathon Best Year Performance
1970		Succeeded by
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