James Espir
Encyclopedia
James Espir is an English
middle distance runner
, whose career spanned the late 1970s and early 1980s. Espir competed for Shaftesbury Harriers Athletics Club and for Great Britain.
Espir was born into an athletic family. His maternal grandfather Edward Smouha won the bronze medal as a member of the Great Britain team in the 4 x 100 metre relay at the 1928 Summer Olympics
. Espir's uncle Brian Smouha ran for Great Britain at sprint distances in the early 1960s, and his paternal grandfather Louis Espir ran a four-and-a-half minute mile in 1913.
Espir was educated at Harrow School
where he excelled at running. His talent attracted the attention of Harry Wilson, coach to the world's greatest miler at that time, Steve Ovett
. Under Wilson's guidance, Espir embarked on a rigorous training schedule with Ovett and other world-class athletes, and competitive success soon followed.
At the age of 18, Espir was the UK Junior 3000 metres champion both indoors and outdoors, and had already represented his country at senior international level. As a 21 year old in 1980, he ran 1500 metres in 3 minutes 38.2 seconds, a time which would have stood as a British Record ten years previously. The following year Espir ran a mile in 3 minutes 56.7 seconds, thereby becoming the fastest Jewish miler ever. In the 1981 Maccabiah Games
in Tel Aviv, he won the 1500 metres and 5000 metres Gold Medals on successive days, and two days later set an Israeli All-comers' record at 1500 metres.
Espir's subsequent athletics career was frequently interrupted by injury. After one such lay-off he returned to running under a new coach, Alf Wilkins, and went on to retain his Maccabiah Games 1500 metres title in 1985. After this he retired from top-class athletics to pursue a career in banking.
Espir continued to compete at club level as a member of Shaftesbury Harriers, at distances from 800 metres up to the Marathon. (In 1986, Shaftesbury Harriers amalgamated with Barnet Copthall Ladies Athletics Club to form Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers). Espir completed the 2004 London Marathon
at the age of 45 in a time of 2 hours 47 minutes and 3 seconds, despite stumbling in slippery conditions around five miles from the finish and stress-fracturing his hip and four vertebrae of his back.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
middle distance runner
Middle distance track event
Middle distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle distance event. The 880 yard run, or half mile, was the forebear to the...
, whose career spanned the late 1970s and early 1980s. Espir competed for Shaftesbury Harriers Athletics Club and for Great Britain.
Espir was born into an athletic family. His maternal grandfather Edward Smouha won the bronze medal as a member of the Great Britain team in the 4 x 100 metre relay at the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
. Espir's uncle Brian Smouha ran for Great Britain at sprint distances in the early 1960s, and his paternal grandfather Louis Espir ran a four-and-a-half minute mile in 1913.
Espir was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
where he excelled at running. His talent attracted the attention of Harry Wilson, coach to the world's greatest miler at that time, Steve Ovett
Steve Ovett
Stephen Michael James "Steve" Ovett OBE , is a former middle distance runner from England. He was gold medalist in the 800 metres at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, U.S.S.R., and set world records for 1500 metres and the mile run...
. Under Wilson's guidance, Espir embarked on a rigorous training schedule with Ovett and other world-class athletes, and competitive success soon followed.
At the age of 18, Espir was the UK Junior 3000 metres champion both indoors and outdoors, and had already represented his country at senior international level. As a 21 year old in 1980, he ran 1500 metres in 3 minutes 38.2 seconds, a time which would have stood as a British Record ten years previously. The following year Espir ran a mile in 3 minutes 56.7 seconds, thereby becoming the fastest Jewish miler ever. In the 1981 Maccabiah Games
Maccabiah Games
The Maccabiah is an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics held in Israel every four years under the auspices of the Maccabi Federation, affiliated with the Maccabi World Union. The Maccabiah Games is the third largest international sports competition in the world...
in Tel Aviv, he won the 1500 metres and 5000 metres Gold Medals on successive days, and two days later set an Israeli All-comers' record at 1500 metres.
Espir's subsequent athletics career was frequently interrupted by injury. After one such lay-off he returned to running under a new coach, Alf Wilkins, and went on to retain his Maccabiah Games 1500 metres title in 1985. After this he retired from top-class athletics to pursue a career in banking.
Espir continued to compete at club level as a member of Shaftesbury Harriers, at distances from 800 metres up to the Marathon. (In 1986, Shaftesbury Harriers amalgamated with Barnet Copthall Ladies Athletics Club to form Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers). Espir completed the 2004 London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
at the age of 45 in a time of 2 hours 47 minutes and 3 seconds, despite stumbling in slippery conditions around five miles from the finish and stress-fracturing his hip and four vertebrae of his back.
Personal bests
| Distance | Mark | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1500 m | 3:38.2 | 1980 |
| Mile | 3:56.7 | 1981 |
| 3000 m | 7:51.92 | 1980 |