Roy Fowler

Henry Roy Fowler (26 March 1934 – 27 June 2009) was an English long-distance runner who competed mainly in track and cross country running competition. His greatest achievement was a gold medal at the International Cross Country Championships in 1963. He won five other medals at that competition, including an individual bronze in 1968 and team gold medals with England in 1966 and 1968.

Fowler's sole high level track medal was a bronze in the 10,000 metres at the 1962 European Athletics Championships. He had won that event at the AAA Championships that year in a Commonwealth record time of 27:49.8 minutes. He also represented England at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games and was a four-time champion at the World Masters Athletics Championships in the over-40s category.

Biography Early life and career Fowler was born in Longsdon near Leek, Staffordshire. He took up running in his youth after suffering from pneumonia, to improve his health. He performed well in running at school, winning his first race aged 14. He was also a keen footballer and had a trial for Manchester United, though this was unsuccessful. He joined the local athletics club and as he grew older he joined the national level club Stone and District AC (now North Staffs and Stone Harriers). A win at the 1961 Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships, achieved in heavy snow while he had been off work due to an illness, brought him to greater attention as he beat British record holder Bruce Tulloh among others. He focused on the track in 1962 and came away with his first individual medal at the 1962 European Athletics Championships, securing the bronze medal in the 10,000 metres behind Soviet runner Pyotr Bolotnikov, in spite of a groin injury. He made an appearance over the same distance at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, but was far off the podium in eighth place. Amongst other local outings, he won the Rivington Pike fell race. At the European Champion Clubs Cup Cross Country in 1967 he was runner-up to old rival Roelants,

Nationally, his greatest achievement was becoming the British 6 miles champion at the 1962 AAA Championships. In his last senior cross country appearance, aged 33, he won a bronze medal at the 1968 International Cross Country Championships. Tunisia's Mohamed Gammoudi topped the rankings but the Englishmen, led by Hill in second and Fowler in third, again topped the team rankings.

Later career and life He continued to compete into his later years and was a leading athlete during the development of masters athletics. At the 1975 World Association of Veteran Athletes Championships – the first edition of that competition – he took a long-distance triple in the men's over 40 category, winning 5000 m, 10,000 m and cross country events. He returned for the 1977 edition and defended his 10,000 m title but was beaten into second place by Gaston Roelants (another former world cross country champion) in the other two disciplines.

Fowler retired due to injury in his mid-forties but continued to work in sport, including fitness work at Stoke City F.C. for England goalkeeper Gordon Banks among others, and athletics coaching, including Mark Roberts (multiple winner of the Potteries Marathon). John Bale and Malcolm Henson wrote a biography of Fowler, published in 2006, called A Fighter Second To None. Fowler died of cancer in 2009, leaving his second wife, Elizabeth, two sons, a daughter and a stepdaughter.