Harry Churcher

{{short description|British racewalker}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Use British English|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Harry Churcher | image = | imagesize = | caption = | nationality = British (English) | sport = Athletics | event = Racewalking | club = Belgrave Harriers | birth_date = {{birth date|1910|11|21|df=yes}} | birth_place = Wandsworth, London, England | death_date = {{death date and age|1972|6|24|1910|11|21|df=yes}} | death_place = London, England | height = | weight = | pb = '''10  km walk''': 45:29.8 (1950) }} '''Harry George Churcher''' (21 November 1910 – 24 June 1972) was a British racewalker who competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics.<ref name="sports-reference">{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ch/harry-churcher-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418035753/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ch/harry-churcher-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Harry Churcher Olympic Results |accessdate=25 August 2014 |work=sports-reference.com}}</ref><ref name=oly>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68958 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=14 July 2024}}</ref>

== Biography == Churcher, a plumber and electrician by trade, finished second in the 1933 Surrey 2-mile walking championship before winning several county title. Churcher and his older brother Charlie both walked for Belgrave Harriers.<ref name=oly/> He finished third behind Bert Cooper in the 2 miles walk event at the 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> second behind Swede John Mikaelsson (who would later be a double Olympic champion) at the 1937 AAA Championships<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> and third behind Bert Cooper at the 1938 AAA Championships.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000104/19380716/152/0005 |title=Italian wins six-mile title |work=Western Mail |date=16 July 1938 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=19 January 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19380718/127/0004 |title=AAA Championships |work=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=18 July 1938 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=19 January 2025 }}</ref>

Churcher finally won two AAA Championships titles and became the national 2 miles walk champion and the national 7 miles champion at the 1939 AAA Championships<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000619/19390708/443/0016 |title=Athletics |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=8 July 1939 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=19 January 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19390710/316/0011 |title=British Athletic Prestige enhanced in AAA Championships |work=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=10 July 1939 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=19 January 2025 }}</ref> before his career was interrupted by World War II.

He won further two 2 miles walk titles (1948) and four 7 miles walk titles (1947, 1948, 1949) at the prestigious AAA Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/AAALongW.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=14 July 2024}}</ref>

At the 1948 Olympic Games, Churcher competed in the 10 km walk.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68958 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=18 January 2025}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{sports links}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Churcher, Harry}} Category:1910 births Category:1972 deaths Category:British men race walkers Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1948 Summer Olympics Category:English men race walkers Category:People from Wandsworth Category:Athletes from the London Borough of Wandsworth Category:20th-century English sportsmen