The Veterans athletic club is the oldest athletics club in the World and they held their Club Championship at Kingsmeadow on Sunday the 24th of August.

  83 year old Harry Tempan smashed the British M80 400m record of 91.39 set by Hugh McGinlay (80) inn Glasgow on 18/2/06, with a time of 83.9 (1:23:79 electric) and that was after running 100 (17.9) and a 200 (38.00).
    Tempan, who last year, at 82, topped the World rankings for M80 with 3:08.9 for the 800 and 6:30.1 for the 1500 in actual fact ran 3:08.8 at the Surrey Vets Champs at Kingsmeadow earlier this year. Tempan retired from track running from 1992 to 2007 but The Renaissance Man was back. Harry T' also, besides being a previous European and World Veteran Champion in his 50's and 60's was UK age ranked No 1. 4 times for the 800 and 5 times for the 1500 over the years. What motivated him to run the shorter distances at Kingtsmeadow then " I seem to have got a bit of speed. I really want to go for the 400 time after doing the other sprints. I also want to run with others in a race not on my own!"  That is precisely what did happen and he overtook 63 year old, Queens Park Harrier, William O'Connor (The London Ever Present marathon runner) in the home straight but then, after crossing the line Harry tripped and spread-eagled himself on the track bruising himself in several places but no serious injury was done to the man who is short in stature  but strong in heart.
    It was interesting to see Eric Shirley running the 1500. He missed his  800m race but went into the 1500 where he ran 7:22.9 at the age of 78. He remarked " It's 52 years since my Olympic Final and I am still alive!" In that 3000m Olympic Final of 1956 were all three British representatives Chris Brasher, John Disley and  Eric Shirley.
    Of course there were plenty of impressive vets performances at Kingsmeadow and they included 45 year old Mark Easton, with his display of fast walking you would expect from someone several times a Commonwealth Games representative; Vilma Thompson won all her W55 field events and, can often be seen working at the counter at the Millennium Stadium, Battersea. Kirstin King, the World Masters W45 Sprint Champion did a CPB in the 100 (13.4) and others to do CBP's were W40' 800 Clare Elms (2:17.29) She won four golds too, Celia Morrison (68) W65' 1500 (6:07.06); Barry Ferguson M65 100m Hurdles (16.3) and Peter Barber (75) hammer (35.97). For those with long memories Barber came second to Brian Hewson in the AAA Junior 880 yards in the 1950's.

Clare Elms won four golds and a CBP record.