{{short description|Athletics club in England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Use British English|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox athletics club | name = City of Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club | type = | image = 150px | image_border = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | founded = 1905 | ground = Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre (athletics track) | location = Garon Park, Eastern Avenue, Southend-on-Sea SS2 4FA, England | coordinates = {{coord|51|33|13|N|0|44|08|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | league(s) = | activities = | affiliations = | colors = | website = {{URL|https://southendac.co.uk/ |official website}} }}
'''City of Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club''' is an athletics club based in Essex. The club has one track, which is based at the Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre athletics track in Garon Park on Eastern Avenue, Southend-on-Sea. The club is affiliated to UK Athletics, England Athletics and the Essex County Athletic Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://southendac.co.uk/contact-us/ |title=Contact Us |website=City of Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club |access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref>
== History == thumb|right|250px|Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre (athletics track) in 2007 thumb|right|150px|Ann Wilson in 1972 The formation of Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club took place over 100 years ago in 1905 when it was known as Southend and County Harriers (or Southend Harriers for short). The club was primarily a cross country club and held its first run on 7 October 1905 from the club's headquarters at the Blue Boar Hotel in Prittlewell.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000893/19050923/139/0008 |title=Southend Harriers |work=Sporting Life |date=23 September 1905 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref> Within the first decade the club had become "A leading club in athletics".
In 1937, the Southend Harriers merged with another club called the Leigh-on-sea Harriers (founded 1912).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://southendac.co.uk/club-history/ |title=Club History |website=City of Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club |access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref>
In 2005 the club celebrated their centenary and in the same year the Senior Men were promoted to the British Athletic League. The club is based at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre, Garon Park, where it moved to in 1996 from its old home of Southchurch Park and in 2015 celebrated the opening of their Club House with a picture-window view of the athletic arena. The Leisure Centre is also home to many other sports such as: cricket, indoor and outdoor tennis + football, and golf.
== Notable athletes == === Olympians === {| class="wikitable" |- !width=150|Athlete !width=150|Club !width=250|Events !width=100|Games !width=100|Medals/Ref |- |Frederick Harmer||Southend Harriers || 400 metres hurdles||1908||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69114 |title=Frederick Harmer Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Henry Harmer||Southend Harriers || 100 metres|| 1908 ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69115 |title=Henry Harmer Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Martyn Lucking ||Southend AC||shot put||1960, 1964||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69265 |title=Martyn Lucking Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref><ref name=gazette>{{cite news|url=https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/other-sport/key-role-of-blackpools-double-olympian-shotputter-martyn-lucking-in-the-fight-against-drugs-since-first-tokyo-games-3339835|title=Key role of Blackpool's double-Olympian shotputter Martyn Lucking in the fight against drugs since first Tokyo Games.|newspaper=The Gazette|date=9 August 2021}}</ref> |- |Christina Persighetti||Southend AC ||long jump|| 1960 ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68754 |title=Christina Persighetti Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Ann Wilson ||Southend AC||80/100m hurdles, long jump, pentathlon|| 1968, 1972 ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68818 |title=Ann Wilson Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Peter Marlow ||Southend AC||20 km walk|| 1972 ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69278 |title=Peter Marlow Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref> |- |Sarah Wilhelmy ||Southend AC||4x100 metres relay||2000 ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/86944 |title=Sarah Wilhelmy Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=24 April 2025}}</ref> |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.runtrackdir.com/details.asp?track=southend Garon Park Athletics Track] *[http://www.creating-leisure.co.uk/centredetailsbrand.php?ID=55 Southend Leisure and Tennis website]
Category:Athletics in Essex Category:Athletics clubs in England Category:1905 establishments in England Category:Sports clubs and teams in Essex Category:Sports clubs and teams in Southend-on-Sea Category:Sports clubs and teams established in 1905