Max Boyes

Educated at Horncastle Grammar School in Lincolnshire, Max Boyes played for the cricket and football first XIs. In 1951, at the age of 17, and just three days after leaving school, Boyes joined the Royal Navy where he became a radio electrician with the Fleet Air Arm.

Although based at Portsmouth, Boyes spent two years in Australia when he took up athletics seriously, and from then on had an ambition to run at the Olympics Games. He became a fine quarter-miler on both the flat and over hurdles and, while stationed “down under”, was the 1954 Australian Services 440 yards champion. Between 1953 and 1959 Boyes was the Royal Navy champion five times and also won the Navy 440 hurdles title in 1958. He won the Hampshire County 440 title in 1956 and 1958 and the hurdles in 1957. The Combined Services 440 title followed in 1959, when he made his England début in the hurdles against the Netherlands.

The highlight of Boyes’ career came in 1960 when he was the winner of the AAA 440 yards hurdles title after surprisingly beating John Metcalf. The victory saw Boyes go to Roma for the Olympics, but sadly he was eliminated in his first heat. Boyes, who used to train with fellow Royal Navy serviceman and quarter-miler John Wrighton, also represented the Navy at cross-country and football.

Personal Best: 400H – 52.02y (1960).