{{Short description|British athlete}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Use British English|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox sportsperson | headercolor = | name = Mel Batty | image = | image_size = | caption = = | nationality = British (English) | birth_date = 9 April 1940 | birth_place = Grays, Essex, England | death_date = 29 August 2011 | death_place = | sport = Athletics | event = long distance | club = Thurrock Harriers Club }}
'''Melvyn Richard Batty''' (9 April 1940 – 29 August 2011) was an athlete who competed for England.
== Biography == Batty finished second behind Buddy Edelen in the 10 miles event at the 1962 AAA Championships but because he was the highest placed British athlete he was considered the British 10 miles champion. He won that same race and title outright in the following two years. On the latter occasion, on 11 April 1964, he set a new world record for 10 miles, clocking a time of 47 minutes 26.8 seconds. The race took place at Hurlingham Park in London and his performance bettered the previous world record of 47:47, which had been set by fellow Briton Basil Heatley on the same track and championship three years earlier.<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=5 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=5 May 2025}}</ref>
He represented England in the 3,000m steeplechase, 6 miles and marathon at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/37204|title=Athletes and results|publisher=Commonwealth Games Federation}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/perth-1962/athletes|title=1962 Athletes|publisher=Team England}}</ref>
He was a member of the Thurrock Harriers Club, and won two English National Cross Country Championships in 1964 and 1965.<ref>{{cite book|last=Matthews/Morrison |first=Peter/Ian |title=The Guinness Encyclopaedia of Sports Records and results, pages 73|year=1987 |publisher=Guinness Superlatives Ltd |isbn=0-85112-492-5}}</ref>
He later coached Eamonn Martin. He suffered a heart attack on 19 August 2011 and died 10 days later.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/9223519.martin-leads-tributes-to-his-number-one-fan-mel-batty/|title=Martin leads tributes to his "number one fan" Mel Batty|publisher=Echo News}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Batty, Mel}} Category:1940 births Category:2011 deaths Category:English men long-distance runners Category:British men long-distance runners Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for England Category:20th-century English sportsmen