{{Short description|British athletics club}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use British English|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox athletics club | name = Edinburgh Athletic Club | type = | image = 150px | image_size = | alt = | caption = | founded = 1885/2007 | ground = Meadowbank Sports Centre | location = London Road, Edinburgh EH7 6AE, Scotland | coordinates = {{coord|55|57|25|N|3|09|31|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | league(s) = | activities = | affiliations = | colors = | colours = | website = {{URL|https://www.edinburghac.org.uk/ |official website}} }}
'''Edinburgh Athletic Club''' is a British athletics club based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The club is based primarily at the Meadowbank Sports Centre on London Road and train on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.edinburghac.org.uk/track-and-field-training |title=Track & Field |website=Edinburgh Athletic Club |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> Although founded in 2007 the club has a rich history under multiple other names.
== History == thumb|right|250px|The track and pitch in 2023 thumb|right|150px|Wyndham Halswelle wins Olympic gold in 1908 The origins of the club date back to 1885 and the formation of Edinburgh Harriers who were based in the Western part of the city. They were followed by the creation of three other clubs so that the whole city could be catered for. The Edinburgh Northern Harriers arrived in 1889 and the Edinburgh Southern Harriers in 1897. Finally in 1922 the Cannon Athletic Club (later Edinburgh Eastern Harriers) were formed.<ref name=OH>{{cite web|url=https://www.edinburghac.org.uk/history |title=Our History |website=Edinburgh Athletic Club |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref>
The club's first Olympic gold medalist was Wyndham Halswelle in the 400 metres event at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000174/19080727/165/0009 |title=Athletics |work=Morning Post |date=27 July 1908 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref>
In 1961 the Edinburgh Harriers (who by now had a ladies section), Northern Harriers and Eastern Harriers all merged to become the first named Edinburgh Athletic Club but the Southern Harriers continued independently.<ref name=OH/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19610516/369/0014 |title=Edinburgh AC formed |work=The Scotsman |date=16 May 1961 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref>
In 1968, Southern Harriers became the first Scottish club to participate in the inaugural British Athletics League<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19681212/500/0023 |title=E.S.H. first Scots club in league |work=The Scotsman |date=12 December 1968 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> and experienced some success, finishing third in 1975 and runner-up in 1976, while the women's Southern Harriers won the inaugural UK Women's Athletic League in 1975.
Later the Southern Harriers would race temporarily under the names Caledon Park Harriers (men) and Edinburgh Woollen Mill (women) for sponsorship purposes.<ref name=OH/>
In 1996, the City of Edinburgh Athletic Club was formed when Edinburgh Athletic Club and Edinburgh Southern Harriers (men) merged to finally unify all of the men's clubs in the city.<ref name=OH/> In 2006, the Southern Harriers (women) won the UK athletics league for the second time.
The final amalgamation came during 2007, when the men's club City of Edinburgh Athletics Club and Edinburgh Southern Harriers (women) became the club as it is today, a single city club for both men and women.<ref name=OH/>
The first major success under the new name came with the women's section of the club after they won the UK women's athletic league in both 2013 and 2014.
== Honours == *British Athletics League, runner-up; 1976 *UK Women's Athletic League; champions 1975, 2006, 2013, 2014
== Notable athletes == === Olympians === {| class="wikitable" |- !width=180|Athlete !width=180|Club !width=250|Events !width=100|Games !width=80|Medals/Ref |- |James Cormack ||Edinburgh Harriers||marathon ||1906||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79612 |title=James Cormack |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Wyndham Halswelle ||Edinburgh Harriers ||200m, 400m, 800m ||1906, 1908||16x16px16x16px16x16px |- |Reginald MacPherson ||Edinburgh Harriers ||non starter ||1906||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/922488 |title=Reginald MacPherson |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Tom Jack ||ESH|| marathon ||1908||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69183 |title=Tom Jack |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |George Wallach ||ESH|| 10,000m ||1912||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69557 |title=George Wallach |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |{{flagicon|CAN}} Jimmy Duffy ||ESH|| marathon ||1912||<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001876/19140504/064/0004 |title=Round the Running Track |work=Scottish Referee |date=4 May 1914 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Fergus Murray || ESH || 10,000m || 1964||<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19671028/294/0015 |title=Debut |work=The Scotsman |date=28 October 1967 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Dave Stevenson|| ESH || pole vault || 1964||<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003741/19660523/018/0018 |title=Sport in a Flash |work=Daily Record |date=23 May 1966 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Jim Alder ||1st Edinburgh AC||Marathon ||1968||<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001752/19700222/269/0029 |title=Alder makes it look easy |work=Sunday Mail (Glasgow) |date=22 February 1970 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Gareth Bryan-Jones||ESH ||Steeplechase ||1968||<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19700119/277/0012 |title=Cross-Country |work=The Scotsman |date=19 January 1970 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Don Macgregor ||ESH|| marathon ||1972||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69268 |title=Don Macgregor |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Dave Wilson||1st Edinburgh AC || 110m hurdles ||1972 ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69604 |title=Dave Wilson |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Chris Black ||ESH|| hammer throw ||1976, 1980||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68889 |title=Chris Black |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Helen Golden ||ESH|| 200m ||1976||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68662 |title=Helen Golden |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Moira Walls ||ESH|| high jump ||1976||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68807 |title=Moira Walls |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Drew McMaster||1st Edinburgh AC || 100m, 4x100m||1980 ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69300 |title=Drew McMaster |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Meg Ritchie ||ESH||discus throw ||1980, 1984||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68768 |title=Meg Ritchie |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Allan Wells ||ESH|| 100m, 200m, 4x100m ||1980, 1984||16x16px16x16px<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69577 |title=Allan Wells |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Peter Hoffmann||1st Edinburgh AC ||non starter || 1976 ||<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19760531/271/0014 |title=Peter Hoffman|work=The Scotsman |date=31 May 1976 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Elliot Bunney ||ESH|| 4x100m ||1988||16x16px<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68928 |title=Elliot Bunney |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Tom Hanlon||Caledon Park ||steeplechase || 1992 ||<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19900622/451/0029 |title=Tirop signs up for Meadowbank race |work=The Scotsman |date=22 June 1990 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Yvonne Murray||1st Edinburgh AC || 3000m||1988, 1992 ||16x16px<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68738 |title=Yvonne Murray |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Allison Curbishley ||Woollen Mills||400m, 4x400m||1996, 2000|| |- |Karen MacLeod||1st Edinburgh AC || marathon||1996 ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68720 |title=Karen Macleod |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Sinead Dudgeon || Woollen Mills ||400m hurdles || 2000||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/86918 |title=Sinead Dudgeon |website=Olympedia |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Shirley Webb ||City of Edinburgh AC||Hammer||2004|| |- |Freya Murray-Ross ||Edinburgh AC ||Marathon||2012|| |- |Lynsey Sharp ||Edinburgh AC||800m ||2012, 2016|| |- |Chris O'Hare ||Edinburgh AC ||1500m ||2016|| |- |Beth Dobbin ||Edinburgh AC ||200m & 4x100m ||2021|| |- |Josh Kerr ||Edinburgh AC ||1500m|| 2021, 2024||16x16px16x16px |- |Jake Wightman||Edinburgh AC ||1500m|| 2021|| |} *Scottish unless stated
=== Commonwealth Games === {| class="wikitable" |- !width=180|Athlete !width=180|Club !width=250|Events !width=100|Games !width=80|Medals/Ref |- |Hayley Ovens ||Woollen Mills||1500m||2002, 2006|| |- |{{flagicon|WAL}} Paul Walker|| Edinburgh AC||pole vault||2010, 2014|| |}
=== Other === *Allister Hutton (1990 London Marathon winner)
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Sports clubs and teams established in 2007 Category:Athletics clubs in Scotland Category:2007 establishments in Scotland Category:Sport in Edinburgh