Sydney Wooderson

Sydney Wooderson was Britain’s finest middle-distance runner of the pre-war era. He first came to the notice of the sporting public when he won the London AC School’s mile in 1929 and he went on to become one of the nation’s most popular sportsmen. Before the war he won the AAA mile five times (1935-39), set world records at 800m, 880y and the mile, won a silver medal in the 1934 British Empire Games 1 mile, and was European Champion at 1,500 metres in 1938. The only major disappointment came at the 1936 Olympic Games when an ankle injury preventing him from approaching his best form. Rheumatic fever kept Wooderson out of the armed forces, but he continued to run during the war year and with the resumption of international competition in 1945, he proved, in two memorable races against Arne Andersson (SWE), that he was in the best form of his life. Wooderson then moved up to longer distances and in 1946 success in the AAA 3 miles event, with a new British record, was followed by a victory in the 3 miles against France. He then took the European 5K title in the second fastest time ever. After his victory at the European Championships he retired from the track but he had one final season as a cross-country runner in 1948, winning the National, and placing 14th in the International race. In his 10 international track races for Britain, Wooderson’s only defeat was at the 1936 Olympics. His dominance of British miling was complete; when he retired, he had run the seven fastest times ever by a British miler, and he had to his credit more than 15 of the 30 fastest miles run by Britons. An unassuming man, he worked as a solicitor and after his athletic career ended, remained an enthusiastic supporter of Blackheath Harriers, serving as the Club President in their Centenary Year (1969).

Personal Bests: 440y – 49.3 (1938); 800 – 1:48.4 (1938); 880y – 1:49.2 (1938); 1500 – 3:48.4 (1945); Mile – 4:04.2 (1945); 2 miles – 9:05.0 (1946); 3 miles – 13:53.6 (1946); 5000 – 14:08.6 (1946).