Brian Sandy

Brian Sandy started competitive cycling at the age of 16 and in the 1950s was a leading grass track cyclist and the NCU 5-mile champion five years in succession 1952-55. While doing his National Service in the REME (the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) in the early-1950s, he won six Army Cycling Championships. Sandy also finished second in Manchester Wheelers´ prestigious Muratti Gold Cup in 1955 (he was also third in 1964).

Sandy won his first international honours in 1957 when he represented Great Britain at the Caribbean International Athletic Games in Trinidad. He then took part in the 1962 World Championships, and two years later competed in the team pursuit at the Tokyo Olympics, despite being predominantly a road racer at the time. At the Tokyo Games Sandy was involved in a bad fall after a collision with teammate Roger Whitfield in their heat against Germany. After all the other heats had been completed, Britain was allowed to race again on their own and were set a time of 4:47.06 to qualify for the quarter-finals but narrowly failed. Sandy competed in the re-run but was heavily strapped up and had to pull out after two-thirds of the race.

An electrical Engineer from Taunton, Sandy was still taking part in grass track meetings well into his 50s as he enjoyed a cycling career of more than 25 years, including five as a professional between 1966-70. His son Greg was also a grass track racer