Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 1, 2026

Edinburgh Athletic Club

Edinburgh Athletic Club is a British athletics club based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The club is based primarily at the Meadowbank Sports Centre on London Road and train on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Although founded in 2007 the club has a rich history under multiple other names.

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Edinburgh Athletic Club
Founded1885/2007
GroundMeadowbank Sports Centre
LocationLondon Road, Edinburgh EH7 6AE, Scotland
Coordinates55°57′25″N 3°09′31″W / 55.95694°N 3.15861°W / 55.95694; -3.15861
Websiteofficial website

Edinburgh Athletic Club is a British athletics club based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The club is based primarily at the Meadowbank Sports Centre on London Road and train on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.1 Although founded in 2007 the club has a rich history under multiple other names.

History

The track and pitch in 2023 source ↗
Wyndham Halswelle wins Olympic gold in 1908 source ↗

The origins of the club date back to 1885 and the formation of Edinburgh Harriers who were based in the Western part of the city. They were followed by the creation of three other clubs so that the whole city could be catered for. The Edinburgh Northern Harriers arrived in 1889 and the Edinburgh Southern Harriers in 1897. Finally in 1922 the Cannon Athletic Club (later Edinburgh Eastern Harriers) were formed.2

The club's first Olympic gold medalist was Wyndham Halswelle in the 400 metres event at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.3

In 1961 the Edinburgh Harriers (who by now had a ladies section), Northern Harriers and Eastern Harriers all merged to become the first named Edinburgh Athletic Club but the Southern Harriers continued independently.24

In 1968, Southern Harriers became the first Scottish club to participate in the inaugural British Athletics League5 and experienced some success, finishing third in 1975 and runner-up in 1976, while the women's Southern Harriers won the inaugural UK Women's Athletic League in 1975.

Later the Southern Harriers would race temporarily under the names Caledon Park Harriers (men) and Edinburgh Woollen Mill (women) for sponsorship purposes.2

In 1996, the City of Edinburgh Athletic Club was formed when Edinburgh Athletic Club and Edinburgh Southern Harriers (men) merged to finally unify all of the men's clubs in the city.2 In 2006, the Southern Harriers (women) won the UK athletics league for the second time.

The final amalgamation came during 2007, when the men's club City of Edinburgh Athletics Club and Edinburgh Southern Harriers (women) became the club as it is today, a single city club for both men and women.2

The first major success under the new name came with the women's section of the club after they won the UK women's athletic league in both 2013 and 2014.

Honours

Notable athletes

Olympians

Athlete Club Events Games Medals/Ref
James Cormack Edinburgh Harriers marathon 1906 6
Wyndham Halswelle Edinburgh Harriers 200m, 400m, 800m 1906, 1908
Reginald MacPherson Edinburgh Harriers non starter 1906 7
Tom Jack ESH marathon 1908 8
George Wallach ESH 10,000m 1912 9
Canada Jimmy Duffy ESH marathon 1912 10
Fergus Murray ESH 10,000m 1964 11
Dave Stevenson ESH pole vault 1964 12
Jim Alder 1st Edinburgh AC Marathon 1968 13
Gareth Bryan-Jones ESH Steeplechase 1968 14
Don Macgregor ESH marathon 1972 15
Dave Wilson 1st Edinburgh AC 110m hurdles 1972 16
Chris Black ESH hammer throw 1976, 1980 17
Helen Golden ESH 200m 1976 18
Moira Walls ESH high jump 1976 19
Drew McMaster 1st Edinburgh AC 100m, 4x100m 1980 20
Meg Ritchie ESH discus throw 1980, 1984 21
Allan Wells ESH 100m, 200m, 4x100m 1980, 1984 22
Peter Hoffmann 1st Edinburgh AC non starter 1976 23
Elliot Bunney ESH 4x100m 1988 24
Tom Hanlon Caledon Park steeplechase 1992 25
Yvonne Murray 1st Edinburgh AC 3000m 1988, 1992 26
Allison Curbishley Woollen Mills 400m, 4x400m 1996, 2000
Karen MacLeod 1st Edinburgh AC marathon 1996 27
Sinead Dudgeon Woollen Mills 400m hurdles 2000 28
Shirley Webb City of Edinburgh AC Hammer 2004
Freya Murray-Ross Edinburgh AC Marathon 2012
Lynsey Sharp Edinburgh AC 800m 2012, 2016
Chris O'Hare Edinburgh AC 1500m 2016
Beth Dobbin Edinburgh AC 200m & 4x100m 2021
Josh Kerr Edinburgh AC 1500m 2021, 2024
Jake Wightman Edinburgh AC 1500m 2021
  • Scottish unless stated

Commonwealth Games

Athlete Club Events Games Medals/Ref
Hayley Ovens Woollen Mills 1500m 2002, 2006
Wales Paul Walker Edinburgh AC pole vault 2010, 2014

Other

References

References

  1. "Track & Field". Edinburgh Athletic Club. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  2. "Our History". Edinburgh Athletic Club. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  3. "Athletics". Morning Post. 27 July 1908. Retrieved 5 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "Edinburgh AC formed". The Scotsman. 16 May 1961. Retrieved 5 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "E.S.H. first Scots club in league". The Scotsman. 12 December 1968. Retrieved 5 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "James Cormack". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  7. "Reginald MacPherson". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  8. "Tom Jack". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  9. "George Wallach". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  10. "Round the Running Track". Scottish Referee. 4 May 1914. Retrieved 5 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "Debut". The Scotsman. 28 October 1967. Retrieved 5 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "Sport in a Flash". Daily Record. 23 May 1966. Retrieved 6 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "Alder makes it look easy". Sunday Mail (Glasgow). 22 February 1970. Retrieved 5 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. "Cross-Country". The Scotsman. 19 January 1970. Retrieved 6 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. "Don Macgregor". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  16. "Dave Wilson". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  17. "Chris Black". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  18. "Helen Golden". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  19. "Moira Walls". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  20. "Drew McMaster". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  21. "Meg Ritchie". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  22. "Allan Wells". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  23. "Peter Hoffman". The Scotsman. 31 May 1976. Retrieved 5 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  24. "Elliot Bunney". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  25. "Tirop signs up for Meadowbank race". The Scotsman. 22 June 1990. Retrieved 5 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  26. "Yvonne Murray". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  27. "Karen Macleod". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  28. "Sinead Dudgeon". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 April 2025.