Author: Bridget Cushen

Yvonne Miles

We are sorry to record the sudden passing of SCVAC member Yvonne, on 20 September three weeks short of her 79th birthday. She attended our Track & Field Championships in Birmingham in August as a spectator, never losing her love of the sport and its participants. A remarkable and popular lady who came from humble beginnings in Guyana but who went on to run for Bournemouth AC and as a Veteran, she travelled the world, funding her trips by juggling sometimes three jobs as well as raising her family. Her funeral takes place at 13.00 on 2 October at Bournemouth Crematorium, BH8 0HX. We offer our condolences to her husband Ray and family. We shall all miss her.

Michael May, VAC – October 1960-September 2019

Michael passed away on 7th after a long battle with cancer and a hernia operation. He started his athletic career with Kingston & Polytechnic Harriers running long distance, and it was only after meeting up with Coach and BMAF member, Charles Isetts, that he switched to sprinting with more success. He ran 58.2sec for 400m in 1994 and reached 4.55m in the long jump. He competed in the Indoor Inter-Area this year, his last competition was on 28 March at the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland. Eliminated in the Heats of his 60m/200m, it was still a remarkable achievement.

Mike also had a strong desire to put something back into his sport. He was a Level 2 Track & Field Coach, Team Manager for his Club for a long spell. He was also a Past President of the VAC and attended both the England Athletics Masters Association and BMAF Meetings as VAC Delegate. Kingston & Poly AC are hosting a Memorial for him in the Football Function Room at the Kingsmeadow Track, Kingston from 13.30-15.30 on Sunday 6 October. Details www.kingstonandpoly.org. We offer our condolence to his family and many friends.

Ron Franklin

We have been informed of the passing of Ron Franklin some time ago. Ron finished 6th when representing his beloved Wales at the 1958 Commonwealth & Empire Games that were held in Cardiff. A prolific and high mileage trainer, still clocking up to 80-100 miles per week when aged over 60 and who lived for his sport. He will be remembered for his encyclopaedic memory for statistics and names; he became an iconic figure and voice at domestic and international Championships. A life long vegan and extremely well read on nutrition, legionary stories abound of his dialogue with Customs Officers when he landed at airports loaded with bagfuls of his chosen food and collection of running shoes.

In latter years he was living with dementia and the “voice of athletics” slipped quietly away in a Care Home in Lincs. He will be fondly remembered.

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