Tim Anderson

Tim Anderson attended Malvern College before going to Clare College, Cambridge, where he was a fine hurdler and pole-vaulter, and subsequently became an athletics Blue. He was second in the pole vault to R. E. Davies at the Universities’ Athletic Union (UAU) Championships in 1946, but did go on to twice win the title (1948 and 1949). In those two years he also won the Southern Athletics Championship title. Anderson was also the inter-counties pole vault champion in 1948 and, that year, won the first of four Surrey County titles, the others being in 1949 and 1952-53. Although he never won a AAA title, Anderson was second in 1948 and 1949, and third in 1950 and 1952.

Despite winning the pole vault at the 1947 pre-Olympic trial, and enjoying some excellent results in 1948, he never got the call up by the British Olympic squad. The highlight of his career came at Auckland in 1950 when he won the pole vault gold medal at the British Empire Games. Unfortunately he was not as successful at the Helsinki Olympics two years later when he failed to reach the final.

A member of the Achilles Club, Anderson won representative honours not only with Great Britain, but also with Surrey, the AAA, United Hospitals (during his time at St. Thomas’ Hospital), and the Combined Services, when he was in the Army. An English native record holder, he was the first Englishman to clear 13 feet (3.96m).

Personal Best: PV – 3.99 (1952).