Billy Leach was not only an all-round athlete, but was also an all-round sportsman. In addition to being an excellent long jumper, he was also a fine high jumper and sprinter. However, away from the athletics track, Leach was a footballer and played to a high standard with Abingdon, Oxford City and Reading Reserves. He qualified for the long jump at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics after finishing second in the Olympic trial at Stamford Bridge, with a jump of 21ft 8in (6.6m). That same year Leach beat Willie Applegarth in a 100 yards handicap race at the Bracknell sports. In 1913 Leach won the Reading AC 100 yards title by beating Olympian Richard Rice into second place. Rice was attempting to win his fifth consecutive title. Both Rice and Leach attended Abingdon School. During World War I Leach served as a lieutenant in the Royal Berkshire Regiment, and was awarded the Military Cross (MC). He later became a schoolteacher, and was headmaster of Binfield School. Berkshire.
Great Britain