{{short description|British racewalker}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Use British English|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Roland Hardy | image = | caption = | nationality = British (English) | sport = Athletics | event = Racewalking | club = Sheffield United Harriers | birth_date = {{birth date|1926|6|11|df=yes}} | birth_place = Sheepbridge, Derbyshire, England | death_date = {{death date and age|2016|6|14|1926|6|11|df=yes}} | death_place = Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England | height =176 cm | weight =64 kg }} '''Roland Hardy''' (11 June 1926 &ndash; 14 June 2016)<ref name="Obituary">[http://announcements.johnstonpress.co.uk/obituaries/derbyshiretimes-uk/obituary.aspx?n=roland-hardy&pid=180991245 Roland Hardy's obituary]</ref> was a British racewalker who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1956 Summer Olympics.<ref name="oly">{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69112 |title=Roland Hardy |work=Olympedia |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref> He was born in Sheepbridge, Derbyshire.<ref name=sref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ha/roland-hardy-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418041039/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ha/roland-hardy-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |accessdate=6 July 2012}}</ref> Hardy was a five-time national champion in the 7 miles walk and a two-time national champion in the 2 miles walk.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/bc3.htm |title=BRITISH ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS 1945-1959 |work=GB Athletics |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref>

== Biography == Hardy was born in Sheepbridge, Derbyshire, in June 1926.<ref name="oly"/> At school, Hardy took part in both cricket and football.<ref name="oly"/> In the latter, he was noticed by Sheffield United's manager Teddy Davison, who signed him to play for the side.<ref name="oly"/> However, Hardy's National service stopped him from taking up a career in football.<ref name="oly"/> In April 1949, Hardy began to take up race walking, where he joined the Sheffield United Harriers.<ref name="oly"/> Later that year, Hardy won the 1949 Sheffield Star Walk, breaking the course record by 53 seconds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vale Roland Hardy 1926-2016 |url=http://www.vrwc.org.au/tim-archive/articles/wo-roland-hardy.pdf |publisher=Victorian Race Walking Club |accessdate=20 August 2020}}</ref>

Hardy became the British 7 miles walk champion after winning the British AAA Championships title at the 1950 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=14 April 2025}}</ref> and successfully retained his title for the next three years in 1951, 1952<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000272/19520621/008/0008 |title=AAA walk record by Hardy |work=Manchester Evening News |date=21 June 1952 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=21 April 2025}}</ref> and 1953.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=14 April 2025}}</ref>

In August 1951, Hardy set a new world record in the 5-mile walk, beating the previous time by nine seconds,<ref name="oly"/> and then broke the British 7-mile record one year later.<ref name="oly"/> With this form, Hardy was selected to represent Great Britain at the Olympics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.peakdistrictonline.co.uk/roland-hardy-famous-derbyshire-people/ |title=Roland Hardy – Famous Derbyshire People |work=Peak District Online |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref>

Hardy competed at two Olympic Games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hallamshireharriers.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/hallamshire-harriers-history.pdf |title=Hallamshire Harriers History – the first 50 years |work=Hallamshire Harriers |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref> At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Hardy took part in the men's 10 kilometres walk, but was disqualified in his heat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/58975 |title=10 kilometres Walk, Men (1952) |work=Olympedia |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref> Four years later, at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, he finished in eighth place in the men's 20 kilometres walk.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/59358 |title=20 kilometres Walk, Men (1956) |work=Olympedia |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref>

He died in June 2016, in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, at the age of 90.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pocketmags.com/athletics-weekly-magazine/22092016/articles/36465/double-olympic-race-walker-roland-hardy-dies-aged-89 |title=DOUBLE OLYMPIC RACE WALKER ROLAND HARDY DIES |work=Pocket Mags |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/amp/obituaries/derbyshiretimes-uk/180991245 |title=Roland Hardy obituary |work=Legacy |access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardy, Roland}} Category:1926 births Category:2016 deaths Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1952 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1956 Summer Olympics Category:English men race walkers Category:British men race walkers Category:People from the Borough of Chesterfield Category:Sportspeople from Derbyshire Category:Military personnel from Derbyshire Category:20th-century British military personnel Category:20th-century English sportsmen