Wally Hayward
Encyclopedia
Wallace Henry Hayward (July 10, 1908 – April 28, 2006) was a South Africa
n endurance athlete with a 60 year career. He has won the Comrades Marathon
five times and completed the distance of around 90 km the last time just before his eighty-first birthday.
He was born and died in Johannesburg
. He died in 2006 just a few days before the annual Wally Hayward Marathon.
at the 1952 Summer Olympics
in Helsinki
.. He finished tenth in the Olympic marathon event.
In 1951 and 1953 (first athlete under 6 hours) he broke the down-run record, and in 1954 he broke the up-run record and became the oldest man to win the race at age 45 (later overtaken by Vladimir Kotov
in 2004).
In 1988 he returned once again to participate. He beat half the finishers with a time of 9h44m.
Wally's most dramatic moment came the following year, in 1989, when he completed the down run at the age of 80. There was hardly a dry eye in the stadium as he staggered across the line in an obviously distressed state, making the cut-off time by a mere 1min 57sec, after which he finally quit the race for good. To this day, he has the distinction in the record books of being the oldest finisher in the history of the Comrades Marathon.
, the Bath to London 100-miler and the 24-hour track race.
At the 1938 Empire Games in Sydney
he won the bronze medal in the 6 miles competition. In the 3 miles contest he finished fourth.
Hayward fought in North Africa and Italy during World War II
and in 1942 earned the British Empire Medal for bravery for his actions near El Alamein in Egypt.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n endurance athlete with a 60 year career. He has won the Comrades Marathon
Comrades Marathon
The Comrades Marathon is an ultramarathon of approximately 90 km run in the Kwazulu-Natal Province of South Africa between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. It is the world's largest and oldest ultramarathon race...
five times and completed the distance of around 90 km the last time just before his eighty-first birthday.
He was born and died in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. He died in 2006 just a few days before the annual Wally Hayward Marathon.
Comrades Marathon
He won the race for the first time on his first attempt in 1930 at age 21 (the youngest runner at that stage). Only twenty years later he competed again and won it from 1950 to 1954, except for 1952 when he choose to rather represent South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
at the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
.. He finished tenth in the Olympic marathon event.
In 1951 and 1953 (first athlete under 6 hours) he broke the down-run record, and in 1954 he broke the up-run record and became the oldest man to win the race at age 45 (later overtaken by Vladimir Kotov
Vladimir Kotov
Vladimir Kotov is a Belarus-born South African long distance runner, who competed for the Soviet Union at the marathon of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. There he finished in fourth place, thirty seconds behind countryman and bronze medalist Setymkul Dzhumanazarov...
in 2004).
In 1988 he returned once again to participate. He beat half the finishers with a time of 9h44m.
Wally's most dramatic moment came the following year, in 1989, when he completed the down run at the age of 80. There was hardly a dry eye in the stadium as he staggered across the line in an obviously distressed state, making the cut-off time by a mere 1min 57sec, after which he finally quit the race for good. To this day, he has the distinction in the record books of being the oldest finisher in the history of the Comrades Marathon.
Other achievements
In 1953 he established records in the London to Brighton MarathonLondon to Brighton events
The route along the A23 from London to Brighton in south-east England is popular for races, tours, charity rides and rallies...
, the Bath to London 100-miler and the 24-hour track race.
At the 1938 Empire Games in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
he won the bronze medal in the 6 miles competition. In the 3 miles contest he finished fourth.
Hayward fought in North Africa and Italy during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and in 1942 earned the British Empire Medal for bravery for his actions near El Alamein in Egypt.