Achilles Club
Encyclopedia
The Achilles Club is a track and field
club formed in 1920 by and for past and present representatives of Oxford
and Cambridge
Universities. Members have won 19 Olympic
Gold Medal
s (most recently Steph Cook
in the pentathlon
), and held 38 World Records. One of its founding members was Evelyn Aubrey Montague
, who is immortalized in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire
.
In the amateur age between the World Wars
, the Achilles Club was the strongest amateur athletic organization in Britain. Its members enjoyed more opportunity for training than most, and made up the greater part of the British Olympic team. Champions like Harold Abrahams
, David Burghley
, and Jack Lovelock
(New Zealand) were household names, and they supported the Club’s regular exhibition matches against schools throughout the country, to encourage the growth of the sport. Very popular books passing on their expertise were published, and members contributed at the highest national and international level as coaches, promoters, and administrators.
After the Second World War, Achilles athletes remained prominent. Roger Bannister
’s achievements captured the imagination of the whole world; Chris Chataway was the darling of the White City
; and Chris Brasher
won Olympic gold in Melbourne. By then, however, more clubs were forming as tracks were constructed around Britain. Participation in athletics soared, and with it standards of performance, while at the Universities academic pressures assumed a greater significance.
Nevertheless the Achilles Club still thrives. In recent years Club teams have competed in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Australia, South Africa, Germany and France. The continuing series of reciprocal matches against Harvard, Yale, and other U.S. Ivy League
Universities, which predate the modern Olympic Games, celebrated its centenary in 1995. Members like Jon Ridgeon, Craig Masback (USA) and Richard Nerurkar continue to make their mark on the world stage, both as competitors and as administrators.
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
club formed in 1920 by and for past and present representatives of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
Universities. Members have won 19 Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Gold Medal
Gold Medal
Gold Medal is the sixth studio album by the American hard rock band The Donnas, released in 2004 on Atlantic Records. It was one of the first albums released in the DualDisc format, but was recalled due to a mastering error which resulted in the final track being partially omitted from the CD...
s (most recently Steph Cook
Steph Cook
Stephanie Cook MBE is a retired modern pentathlete and Olympic gold medallist....
in the pentathlon
Modern pentathlon
The modern pentathlon is a sports contest that includes five events: pistol shooting, épée fencing, 200 m freestyle swimming, show jumping, and a 3 km cross-country run...
), and held 38 World Records. One of its founding members was Evelyn Aubrey Montague
Evelyn Aubrey Montague
Evelyn Aubrey Montague was an English athlete and journalist. He ran in the 1924 Paris Olympics, placing sixth in the steeplechase race. Montague is immortalized in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire, where he is portrayed by Nicholas Farrell...
, who is immortalized in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
.
In the amateur age between the World Wars
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
, the Achilles Club was the strongest amateur athletic organization in Britain. Its members enjoyed more opportunity for training than most, and made up the greater part of the British Olympic team. Champions like Harold Abrahams
Harold Abrahams
Harold Maurice Abrahams, CBE, was a British athlete of Jewish origin. He was Olympic champion in 1924 in the 100 metres sprint, a feat depicted in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire.-Early life:...
, David Burghley
David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter
David George Brownlow Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter KCMG , styled Lord Burghley before 1956 and also known as David Burghley, was an English athlete, sports official and Conservative Party politician...
, and Jack Lovelock
Jack Lovelock
John Edward Lovelock was a New Zealand athlete, and the 1936 Olympic champion in the 1500 metres....
(New Zealand) were household names, and they supported the Club’s regular exhibition matches against schools throughout the country, to encourage the growth of the sport. Very popular books passing on their expertise were published, and members contributed at the highest national and international level as coaches, promoters, and administrators.
After the Second World War, Achilles athletes remained prominent. Roger Bannister
Roger Bannister
Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister, CBE is an English former athlete best known for running the first recorded mile in less than 4 minutes...
’s achievements captured the imagination of the whole world; Chris Chataway was the darling of the White City
White City Stadium
White City Stadium was built in White City, London, for the 1908 Summer Olympics, often seen as the precursor to the modern seater stadium and noted for hosting the finish of the first modern distance marathon. It also hosted speedway and a match at the 1966 World Cup, before the stadium was...
; and Chris Brasher
Chris Brasher
Christopher William "Chris" Brasher CBE was a British athlete, sports journalist and co-founder of the London Marathon.-History:...
won Olympic gold in Melbourne. By then, however, more clubs were forming as tracks were constructed around Britain. Participation in athletics soared, and with it standards of performance, while at the Universities academic pressures assumed a greater significance.
Nevertheless the Achilles Club still thrives. In recent years Club teams have competed in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Australia, South Africa, Germany and France. The continuing series of reciprocal matches against Harvard, Yale, and other U.S. Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
Universities, which predate the modern Olympic Games, celebrated its centenary in 1995. Members like Jon Ridgeon, Craig Masback (USA) and Richard Nerurkar continue to make their mark on the world stage, both as competitors and as administrators.