{{short description|British long-distance runner}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Use British English|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Alan Blinston | image = | caption = | nationality = British (English) | sport = Athletics | event = long distance | club = Aldershot, Farnham & District AC | birth_date = 15 June 1944 | birth_place = Altrincham, England | death_date = | death_place = | height =178 cm | weight = 66 kg | medaltemplates= {{MedalSport|Men's athletics}} {{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}} {{MedalCompetition|European Championships}} {{MedalBronze|1969 Athens|5000 m}} }}
'''John Alan Blinston''' (born 15 June 1944) is a British former long-distance runner who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics.<ref name=sref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bl/alan-blinston-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418041454/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bl/alan-blinston-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |accessdate=7 May 2015}}</ref>
== Biography == At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, he represented Great Britain in 5000 metres competition.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68898 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=11 May 2025}}</ref>
Blinston finished second behind Ian Stewart in the 5000 metres event at the 1969 AAA Championships.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000729/19690803/157/0015 |title=White City results |work=The People |date=3 August 1969 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref> Also that year he was a bronze medallist in the 5000 metres at the 1969 European Athletics Championships.<ref>{{Cite web |title=European Championships (Men) |url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/ec.htm |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=GBR Athletics}}</ref>
Blinston finished runner-up again at the 1970 AAA Championships and 1971 AAA Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref> He was also a team silver medallist at the 1975 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.<ref>{{Cite web |title=British Medallists in World and European Cross Country Championships |url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bm/xc.htm |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=GBR Athletics}}</ref>
Blinston has eight career wins.<ref>{{cite web |title=Runner profile: Alan Blinston |url=https://more.arrs.run/runner/12429 |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=Association of Road Racing Statistics}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blinston, Alan}} Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:English men long-distance runners Category:British men long-distance runners Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics Category:European Athletics Championships medalists Category:Sportspeople from Altrincham