Derek Graham

{{short description|Runner from Northern Ireland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}} {{Use British English|date=May 2015}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Derek Graham | image =  | image_size =  | alt = | caption = | nationality = British (Northern Irish) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1941|09|3|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | height = 188 cm | weight = 68 kg | country = | sport = Athletics | club = 9th Old Boys Harriers, Belfast }}

'''Derek Austin Graham''' (born 3 September 1941) is a retired distance athlete from Northern Ireland. The first Northern Irish runner to break 4 minutes for the mile, he was ranked number 1 in the U.K. and Ireland over 2 miles/3000 m, 3 miles/5000 m and cross country at various periods in the 1960s.

== Biography == Graham competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics for Great Britain, finishing seventh in his initial heat for the 5000m race.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69081 |title=Biographical information |website=Olympedia |access-date=16 November 2025}}</ref>

Graham was selected for nine consecutive International cross country races (later to be recognised as the World Cross country), finishing second in 1966 in Rabat, Morocco. He also competed in the 1966 European Championships.

Graham represented the 1966 Northern Irish Team<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005119/19660621/262/0011 |title=No surprises in Games Team |work=Belfast News-Letter |date=21 June 1966 |page=11|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=14 November 2025}}</ref> at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005119/19660712/027/0001 |title=Three more for Empire Games Team |work=Belfast News-Letter |date=12 July 1966 |page=1|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=14 November 2025}}</ref> participating in the two athletics events;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/games/3036/48/all |title=Northern Ireland Kingston 1966 |website=Commonwealth Games Federation |access-date=16 November 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018081443/https://thecgf.com/results/games/3036/48/all |archive-date=2021-10-18}}</ref> the 1 mile race<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/games/3036/event/1457 |title=Athletics 1 mile - Men Kingston 1966 |website=Commonwealth Games Federation |access-date=16 November 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724234446/https://thecgf.com/results/games/3036/event/1457 |archive-date=2021-07-24}}</ref> and the 3 miles race.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/games/3036/event/1462 |title=Athletics 3 miles - Men Kingston 1966 |website=Commonwealth Games Federation |access-date=16 November 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028085422/https://thecgf.com/results/games/3036/event/1462 |archive-date=2021-10-28}}</ref>

Graham was a 21-times Northern Irish champion, winning the mile title six times, the cross-country title seven times, the 3 miles title seven times and 6 mile title in 1967.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/nir.htm |title=Northern Irish Championships |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=16 November 2025}}</ref>

He was the Irish record holder for various distances{{which|date=January 2013}} through this time. At the 1970 British Commonwealth Games, Graham picked up a virus which later developed into myalgic encephalomyelitis, ultimately ending his athletics career.

== Personal bests == {| class="wikitable" !Distance||Mark |- |1 mile||3:59.2 |- |3000 m||8:03 |- |2 miles||8:33.8 |- |3 miles||13:15.6 |- |5000 m||13:41.4 |- |10,000 m||29:00.06 |- |Half marathon||1:03:53 |}

== References == {{Reflist}} * [http://www.annadalestriders.co.uk/Interviews/Derek%20Graham/derekgrahaminterview.htm Derek Graham Interview] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20200418035959/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/gr/derek-graham-1.html Derek Graham's profile at Sports Reference.com]

{{s-start}} {{s-sports}} {{succession box|before= Ron Hill|title=Men's Half Marathon Best Year Performance|years=1970|after= Ron Hill}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Graham, Derek}} Category:1941 births Category:Living people Category:Men middle-distance runners from Northern Ireland Category:Men long-distance runners from Northern Ireland Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Northern Ireland Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games Category:People with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome Category:British men middle-distance runners Category:British men long-distance runners Category:British men cross country runners