# Alec Burns

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{{short description|British long-distance runner}}
{{for|the Trinidad and Tobago cricketer|Alec Burns (cricketer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name        = Alec Burns
| image       =
| caption     =
| nationality = British (English)
| sport       = [Athletics](/source/Sport_of_Athletics)
| event       = middle-distance
| club        = Elswick Harriers
| birth_date  = 5 November 1907
| birth_place = Newcastle upon Tyne, England
| death_date  = 22 May 2003 (aged 95)
| death_place = Newcastle upon Tyne, England
| height      =183 cm
| weight      =66 kg
| pb =
| medaltemplates=
{{Medal|Sport | Men's [athletics](/source/Athletics_(sport))}}
{{Medal|Country|{{ENG}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|[British Empire Games](/source/British_Empire_Games)}}
{{Medal|Bronze| [1934 London](/source/1934_British_Empire_Games) | 3 miles}}
}}

'''James Alexander Burns''' (5 November 1907 – 22 May 2003) was an English [track and field](/source/track_and_field) athlete who competed for Great Britain in the [1932 Summer Olympics](/source/1932_Summer_Olympics) and in the [1936 Summer Olympics](/source/1936_Summer_Olympics).<ref name=Oly>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68930 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=11 January 2025}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Burns was born in [Newcastle upon Tyne](/source/Newcastle_upon_Tyne). He became the [national 4 miles champion](/source/List_of_British_champions_in_5000_metres) after winning the British [AAA Championships](/source/AAA_Championships) at the [1931 AAA Championships](/source/1931_AAA_Championships)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003214/19310704/264/0013 |title=Athletics records may be smashed today |work=Daily News (London) |date=4 July 1931 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=9 January 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000681/19310706/286/0014 |title=Few AAA titles go abroad |work=Daily Herald  |date=6 July 1931 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=9 January 2025 }}</ref><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=9 January 2025 }}</ref> In 1932 at the Olympic Games, he finished seventh in the [Olympic 5000 metres event](/source/Athletics_at_the_1932_Summer_Olympics_-_Men's_5000_metres).<ref name=Oly/>

Burns represented [England](/source/England_at_the_1934_British_Empire_Games) at the [1934 British Empire Games](/source/1934_British_Empire_Games), winning a bronze medal in the 3 miles contest.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/london-1934/athletes |title=London 1934 Team |website=Team England |access-date=11 January 2025 }}</ref>

Burns finished second behind [Józef Noji](/source/J%C3%B3zef_Noji) in the 6 miles event and second behind [William Eaton](/source/William_Eaton_(athlete)) in the 10 miles event at the [1936 AAA Championships](/source/1936_AAA_Championships).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000104/19360711/173/0006 |title=AAA Championships begin |work=Western Mail |date=11 July 1936 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=18 January 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003214/19360713/473/0017 |title=Wooderson wins again |work=Daily Herald |date=13 July 1936 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=18 January 2025 }}</ref> One month later he was selected to represent [Great Britain](/source/Great_Britain_at_the_1936_Summer_Olympics) at the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, where he finished fifth in the [10,000 metres competition](/source/Athletics_at_the_1936_Summer_Olympics_-_Men's_10000_metres).<ref name=Oly/>

Burns once again finished runner-up at the [1937 AAA Championships](/source/1937_AAA_Championships) in both the 6 miles and 10 miles races.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000650/19370717/014/0014 |title=The Athletic Championships  |work=Liverpool Daily Post |date=17 July 1937 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=18 January 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000671/19370719/011/0011 |title=Six records go by the board at White City |work=Evening Despatch |date=19 July 1937 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=18 January 2025 }}</ref>

His grandson was [Richard Burns](/source/Richard_Burns), the 2001 World Rally Champion.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20200418003426/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bu/alec-burns-1.html Alec Burns] at [Olympics at Sports-Reference.com](/source/Sports_Reference) (archived)

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burns, Alec}}
Category:1907 births
Category:2003 deaths
Category:Athletes from Newcastle upon Tyne
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 1932 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for England
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1934 British Empire Games
Category:Medallists at the 1934 British Empire Games
Category:20th-century English sportsmen
Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in athletics

{{England-longdistance-athletics-bio-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alec Burns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alec_Burns) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alec_Burns?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.