Leeds City Athletic Club

The club's roots can be traced back to four clubs and the year 1880, with the formation of the first of these, the Leeds St. Mark's Harriers (LSMH).^[3] Two other clubs, the Leeds Harehills Harriers and the Leeds Athletic Club Harriers amalgamated in 1891 to form the Leeds Athletic Club (LAC).^[4]

Finally, the Harehills Liberal Club Harriers (HLCH) was founded in 1907.^[3] HLCH won the youth's event gold medal at the English National Cross Country Championships in 1946.^[5]

Frank E Aaron of the Leeds St Marks AC won three consecutive individual titles at the English National Cross Country Championships from 1949 to 1951.^[6]

In September 1967, a merger took place of the three clubs (HLCH, LSMH and LAC), to form the Leeds City Athletic Club.^[3][7][8]

The club's first Olympians appeared at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul,^[9] although Len Eyre was a Harehills Harrier, when he competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

The club has evolved into becoming one of England's most successful cross country clubs, having won the team title at the English National Cross Country Championships on 12 occasions (as of 2025).^[10][11][12]

• English National Cross Country Championships winners:
  • Frank E. Aaron - 1949, 1950, 1951
  • Angie Pain- 1989
  • Men's team, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2019, 2023
  • Women's team, 1997, 2019, 2022, 2025

Olympians

More information Athlete, Events ...

Athlete	Events	Games	Medals/Ref
Len Eyre	1500m	1952	[13]
John Doherty	5,000m	1988, 1992	[14]
Mick Hill	Javelin throw	1988, 1992, 1996, 2000	[15]
Angie Pain	marathon	1988	[16]
Véronique Marot	marathon	1972	[17]
Jacob Fincham-Dukes	Long jump	2024	[18]
Emile Cairess	marathon	2024	[19]

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• English unless stated