One of the crucial iconic athletes through the Nineteen Sixties and early Nineteen Seventies, Allan Rushmer received bronze within the Commonwealth Video games three miles in 1966, positioned fifth within the European 10,000m in the identical 12 months and represented Britain on the 1968 Olympics.
A Tipton Harriers stalwart from the Black Nation of the West Midlands, he died on April 23 in York aged 80.
Rushmer was a comparatively late starter as he started working at 16 when he joined Oldbury AC and shortly started to make an influence in nationwide competitions. In 1965 he joined Tipton Harriers and started to interrupt by way of to worldwide stage whereas holding down a full-time job as an upholsterer.
His GB debut got here alongside Bruce Tulloh towards the Soviet Union on the White Metropolis in June 1966, however later that summer time, simply days after England had received the World Cup at Wembley, he completed third within the British Empire and Commonwealth Video games in Kingston, Jamaica, behind Kip Keino of Kenya and Ron Clarke of Australia within the three miles, clocking 13:08.6.
Returning residence, he then completed fifth – and first Brit – within the 10,000m on the European Championships, working 28:37.8 to equal Mike Freary’s British report.
“Rushie”, as he was affectionately identified, loved many clashes with fellow iconic athletes from the interval similar to Ron Hill, Gerry North and Dick Taylor. He went on to run a sub-four-minute mile with 3:58.7 in 1967 and 13:29.8 for 5000m in 1970, whereas he additionally ran a 2:20 marathon regardless of solely dabbling with the gap.
In 1968 he earned choice for the Olympics in Mexico however was knocked out within the heats, describing it as a “catastrophe”. He was additionally unfortunate in 1970 to complete fourth within the stirring Commonwealth 5000m in Edinburgh behind Ian Stewart, Ian McCafferty and Keino, however forward of a number of world record-holder Clarke, who he handed on the final lap.
Stewart went on to be his finest man at his wedding ceremony in 1972 and Rushmer went on to have two kids, Emily and Laura, together with his spouse Kath. His Olympic goals have been ruined that very same 12 months, although, when bronchial bronchial asthma put paid to his makes an attempt to make the group for Munich.
He had been in positive kind, too, inserting third within the notorious 1972 English Nationwide the place a sudden sleet storm with plummeting temperatures at Sutton Park left the athletes shivering with, in some instances, hypothermia.
The sickness ended Rushmer’s profession prematurely however he would return just a few years later as a masters athlete, successful the European veterans’ 10,000m title in 1984.
But greater than something, Rushmer was famend for being a membership stalwart and few races excited him greater than nationwide highway relays or battling for group medals on the Nationwide Cross Nation Championships.
“Small in stature however large in coronary heart and soul,” Tipton Harriers stated in an announcement. “Allan was really one of many greats which have graced this membership and had one of many longest aggressive associations with us.”
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