Joe Birrell

Joe Birrell was an outstanding junior 120-yard high hurdler, and won the 1947 Junior AAA title. The following year, at the age of 18, he was the Northern champion and won the senior AAA title ahead of two Australians, Peter Gardner and Charles Green, who, like Birrell, competed at the Olympics that year. Gardner finished a creditable fifth.

For his outstanding achievements in 1948, Birrell became the first recipient of the AAA Best Junior Athlete of the Season Award. He joined the Army shortly after the Olympics, but maintained his form in 1949, finishing second to Don Finlay at the AAAs. Birrell’s form dipped after that, however, and other than finishing third behind Peter Hildreth and Jack Parker in the 1951 and 1952 County Championships (representing Lancashire), and winning the 1957 Lancashire title, Birrell could never replicate his glory year of 1948. Fortunately, his brother Bob was to carry on the family tradition as a fine high hurdler, and he competed at the 1960 Olympics, enjoyed three podiums at the AAAs, and competed in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958 and 1962.

Personal Best: 110H – 15.0 (1951).