Keily, Arthur: Veteran Arthur inspires Olympic hopefuls

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WITH the Olympic Games coming to London in 2012, one of Derby’s best-known elder statesman of the athletics world is hoping to inspire local youngsters to become involved.

In 1960, Arthur Keily ran in the Rome Olympics marathon, breaking the English Olympic record with a time of 2hrs 27mins.

He also competed in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958 and set world records for the Belper Wakes 15-mile race in 1954 and the South London 30-mile race, the 50km, 45km and track marathons in 1956.

He has been the Morpeth to Newcastle half marathon British champion three times, as well as winning numerous other British marathons and championships.

In 1991, he was Veteran of the Year and also won the Central Region Senior Citizen of the Year award for being the fittest and fastest 70-year-old in British history.

At the ripe old age of 80, in 2001, he was still going strong, becoming the 3,000m British veteran walking champion and 400m veteran running champion at Windsor.

Arthur, now 86, of Sunnyhill, told Bygones: “I think now is the time to inspire youngsters to come forward.

“Like Derby FC, the present Derby AC has fallen from grace, but what a golden opportunity they have now to plan ahead.

“Like Lord Coe said, producing a gold medal winner will be crucial to the success of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Britain performing well is not the icing on the cake, it is pretty well the whole ingredient.

“Everyone involved in sport from teachers, coaches, newspapers etc should make every effort to produce a champion of the future.”

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