Harry Cullum

Harry Cullum was a champion miler and half miler but could run any distance between 100 yards and five miles and would never disgrace himself. His first race in public was as a member of the Bristol Harriers. His career really took off, however, after going to live and work in Cardiff in 1894, and he joined the Cardiff Harlequins Athletic Club, and later the Aberdare Harriers. The following year Cullum won the Welsh one mile and 10 miles cross-country titles. He went on to hold Welsh mile and 1,000 yards records, and was also the one-time Scottish 1,000 yards record holder.

In 1896 Cullum finished runner-up to William King in the AAA 880 yards, losing by one foot. The following year he was third, behind winner Alfred Tysoe, in the AAA mile. In 1899 Cullum was suspended by the Southern Counties AAA for running in a professional race as an amateur. With losing his amateur status he turned professional less than two weeks after his suspension. In his first year as a paid runner he lowered the world professional best time for the 1000 yards to 2:09.2 at Aberavon, but it was not ratified as a record because the course was found to be 27 yards short. He managed, however, to claim the world professional 880 yards title at Rochdale that year when he beat Edgar Bredin. Cullum was entered in the professional 400 and 1,500 metres at the 1900 Paris Olympics but did not compete. After his athletics career he became a billiard marker.