Henry Oliver

Before turning his attention to steeplechase running, Henry Oliver was a cross country exponent and finished second in the 1927 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxford Cross Country Championship and helped Reading to the team title. He also regularly competed in the South of the Thames Championship. He finished second to Jack Webster in the AAAs steeplechase in 1927 and again in 1928, when he also finished second in the one mile steeplechase at the British Games at Stamford Bridge. As the reigning Southern Champion he eventually won the AAAs title in 1929 when the defending champion Webster was disqualified after an infringement at the water jump on the second lap. He was forced to take evasive action to avoid spiking the man in front of him and his failure to clear the jump resulted in a disqualification which allowed Oliver to race away and take the title, but well outside Webster’s record time. It is debatable if Webster would have won anyway as he had engaged in a gruelling four mile race shortly before the steeplechase. Oliver lost his crown the following year when he finished third behind George Bailey of Salford, and the four-times winner Webster,

Personal Bests: 3000S – 9:53.4 (1929).