HARRY TEMPAN RETIRES AT 87 (December 2012)

HARRY TEMPAN RETIRES AT 87 (December 2012)

HARRY TEMPAN (Born 20.5.25) has finally hung up his running shoes. " I do love running but I don't intend racing again or being a member of a club " He told Alastair Aitken. His wife Kathleen, who is older than Grandfather Harry thinks that is a wise move!
   Harry has retired many times from competition and then made a surprise comeback with spectacular British 'Age' records from 400 to 1500 inclusive but this time, he phoned me up and really meant it. His last big success was achieving a British record for 85-89 at the Veterans AC Championships at the Millennium Stadium on the 28th of August. He ran 7:19.57 for 1500.
   Like another famous veteran middle and long  distance runner, now in his 80's and still competing by the name of Steve Charlton, he was short in stature but big in heart!
   Looking back overall his recent career. At 59 in 1984 he won the 'M55' 800/1500 in 2:14.0/4.29.6 in the European Veteran Championships in Brighton. He worked in the bank in the City of London at the time and often ran in the lunch times from the gym belonging to the City of London Polytechnic.
   As a 60 year old he won the 60-65 World Veterans 1500 Championships in Rome in a British record of 4:36.04; His M65 British record of 4:44.0 still stands.
At 82 he topped the World 80-85 rankings for one particular year with an 80-85 800m time of 3:08.9 and topped the 1500 with 6:30.1.
   Harry Tempan for many years since he was a young man was to be a member of Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets AC, Veterans AC and in recent years Dorking Mole Valley.