Denis O'GORMAN

Although born in Ireland, Sonny O’Gorman joined the Royal Air Force in England in 1946. After 18 months in the service he settled in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, where he joined the St. Colmcille’s Hurling Team, winning two runner-up medals with them in the London junior hurling championships. It was not until 1952, when he was 24, that he took up running, often training by running to and from work at the De Havilland Aircraft Factory in Hatfield, five miles from his home. He improved quickly and was selected for Ireland for the 1955 International Cross-Country Championship. He again competed in that event in 1959 and ran his first marathon at the 1959 Polytechnic Marathon, winning by over three minutes in 2-25:11. He also placed second that year at the Kosice Marathon. He was selected for the British Olympic team after winning the Road Runners’ Marathon in Liverpool in July 1960, recording 2-18:15, at the time the fifth fastest mark ever recorded. His 16th place finish in Rome was disappointing to him, as he was in the top five at the 20-mile mark.

Personal Best: Mar – 2-18:16 (1960).