Beryl Randle
Born(1928-12-16)16 December 1928
Died28 November 2023(2023-11-28) (aged 94)
NationalityEnglish
Organizations
Known for
  • Race walking
  • athletics administration

Beryl Randle (16 December 1928 – 28 November 2023) was a British race walker and an athletics administrator.[1][2][3] She raced for Birchfield Harriers.

Randle took up competitive walking in 1946, after coming last in a 100-metre sprint,[1] and was coached by Doris Nelson Neal.[4] To train, she would walk from her home in Walsall to her workplace in Digbeth, Birmingham, and back - 18 miles (29 km) each day.[3]

On 29 May 1954, she broke the world record for the one-mile walk, with a time of 7 minutes 49 seconds.[4] On 19 June 1954, she shaved over ten seconds from her own record, at the White City Stadium, with a time of 7 minutes 38.4 seconds.[4] In doing so, she became the Women's Amateur Athletic Association Champion.[3] She was honoured for this achievement with a brooch depicting the stag logo of Birchfield Harriers in solid gold, commissioned by G.H. Alexander, then president of the club.[4] She later said:[4]

I remember finishing the walk with a last gasp supreme effort. I had no idea I was going to break the world record because Nelson our coach was the sort of person who would not give away any times in training which meant that I had no idea what sort of shape that I was in that day... I just went for it from the start.

Randle was a six-time Midland mile track champion, four-time British mile track champion, and three-time Midland road-walking champion.[3]

After winning £1,000 for coming in second in a 1960 John O'Groats–Land's End walk sponsored by Billy Butlin – she lost the lead to Wendy Lewis after twisting her ankle – she had to relinquish her amateur status, though it was later restored, and she resumed competing.[1][3] During the 1980s, she coached Birchfield Harriers' girls' teams.[1]

At the age of 71, she broke the over-70s age group world record for the 3000-metres walk.[1]

Randle was Honorary General Secretary of the Race Walking Association from 1988 to 1991, and its president from 1996 to 1998.[5] She was subsequently made an Honorary Life Member,[5] and was given their lifetime achievement award in 2014.[1]

In 2009, she was elected President of the Midland Counties Athletics Association.[6]

Randle died on 28 November 2023, at the age of 94.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bowen, Amy (14 March 2014). "Race walker Beryl 'gobsmacked' to receive top achievement award". Great Barr Observer. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  2. ↑ "Athlete – Beryl Randle". Racewalk UK. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Morris, Tom (September 2012). "The Long Walk" (PDF). WordPress.com. Midland Masters Athletic Club. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Hancox, Kyle; McCook, Tom (29 May 2014). "Beryl & Diane Celebrate Anniversary of Their Record Breaking Performances". Birchfield Harriers. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Past officers". The Race Walking Association. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  6. ↑ "Committee and A.G.M. decision sheets". The Race Walking Association. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Beryl Randle RIP – one of our sport's great characters". Lancashire Walking Club. 17 December 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
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