Frank Close

In 1935, Newbury mill worker Frank Close won his first ever 10-mile cross-country race, and it happened to be for the Southern Counties Championship. Over the next four weeks, he won the English National title, and then competed in the International Cross-Country Championship at Auteuil, Paris. He finished fourth individually in Paris, but with England occupying six of the first nine places, they secured the team prize.

On the track in 1936, Close was second in the AAA 3 miles, and this gained him selection for the 5000 metres at the Berlin Olympics. After finishing second in his heat to the eventual gold medalist Gunnar Höckert, Close could only manage a 12th place, out of 15, in the final. Close was also a useful miler, and finished sixth at the 1938 AAA Championships. Still competing up to the outbreak of World War II, he finished second to Sydney Wooderson at Birmingham in May 1939 in what was the then fastest mile of the season. A couple of months later, Close beat Wooderson in their heat of the mile at the AAAs, but Wooderson went on to capture the title for the fifth consecutive year. After the War, Close resumed his cross-country career and competed in the 1946 national championship at Leamington Spa.

Personal Best: Mile – 4:17.6 (1940); 2000 – 5:32.0e (1937); 2 miles – 9:29.4 (1935); 3 miles – 14:20.2 (1936); 5000 – 15:10.6 (1936).