{{short description|British long-distance runner}} {{use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Use British English|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Colin Kirkham | image = | caption = | nationality = British (English) | sport = Athletics | event = Long-distance running/Marathon | club = Coventry Godiva Harriers | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|10|30|df=yes}} | birth_place = Nottingham, England | death_date = | death_place = | height =179 cm | weight =61 kg }}
'''Colin Kirkham''' (born 30 October 1944) is a male British retiredlong-distance runner who competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics.<ref name=oly>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69226 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=28 May 2025}}</ref>
== Biography == Kirkham studied Mathematics at Durham University, where he was a member of St Cuthbert's Society and won the Northern Counties Marathon Championship.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Former Durham student Olympic possible |journal=Palatinate |date=13 June 1968 |issue=226 |page=12 |url=https://iiif.durham.ac.uk/index.html?manifest=t1mkp78gg48j&canvas=t1tk3569666d |access-date=9 September 2018}}</ref> He taught Maths at Arley, Warwickshire<ref>''Coventry Standard'' Thursday 25 July 1968, page 19</ref> and at Coleshill School, Warwickshire.
Kirkham represented Great Britain in the marathon at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.<ref name="SportsRef">{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ki/colin-kirkham-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418041726/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ki/colin-kirkham-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Colin Kirkham Olympic Results |access-date=9 May 2017}}</ref> The following year Kirkham finished third behind Ian Thompson in the marathon event at the 1973 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=29 May 2025}}</ref>
He represented England in the marathon event, at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/christchurch-1974|title=1974 Games|website=Team England}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/christchurch-1974/athletes|title=Athletes, 1974 England team|website=Team England}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/39242|title=Athletes and results|website=Commonwealth Games Federation}}</ref> and would podium on two more occasions at the 1975 AAA Championships and the 1977 AAA Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=29 May 2025}}</ref> In December 1981 he won the Tiberias Marathon in Israel.
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirkham, Colin}} Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of St Cuthbert's Society, Durham Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games Category:British men long-distance runners Category:British men marathon runners Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain Category:Athletes from Nottingham Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for England Category:British mathematics educators Category:Schoolteachers from Nottinghamshire Category:English men long-distance runners Category:English men marathon runners