Stan Eldon
{{short description|British cross country runner (born 1936)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Stan Eldon
| honorific_suffix = MBE
| image =
| caption =
| nationality = British (English)
| sport = Athletics
| event = Cross country/long distance
| club = Windsor and Eton AC
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1936|5|1}}
| birth_place = Windsor, Berkshire, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| medaltemplates =
{{Medal|Sport |Men's athletics}}
{{Medal|Country|{{ENG}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|International Cross Country Championships}}
{{Medal|Gold |1958 Cardiff|Cross Country}}
}}
Stanley Edward Eldon (born 1 May 1936) is a retired British cross country runner. Eldon is notable for winning the International Cross Country Championships held in Cardiff in 1958.
He was awarded his MBE for his work in setting up the Reading half-marathon.
Biography
Eldon was inspired to become a runner after viewing a film of the 1948 Olympics and joined Eton Athletics Club (as it was called at the time). In 1956 he ran a junior World Best of 14 minutes 19 seconds over 3 miles.{{cite web|url=http://www.highgateharriers.org.uk/hh_aa_interviews.php?i=16 |title=Alastair Aitken reports on Stan Eldon |publisher=highgateharriers.org.uk|author=Aitkin, Alastair |accessdate=2 January 2012}} As an adult he came to note as an aggressive front runner.
Eldon finished second behind George Knight in the 6 miles event at the 1957 AAA Championships{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003359/19570714/248/0014 |title=AAA Championship results |work=Weekly Dispatch (London) |date=14 July 1957 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=1 May 2025}} before he became both the British 3 miles champion and British 6 miles champion, after winning the British AAA Championships titles at the 1958 AAA Championships.{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=1 May 2025}}
In 1958 he won the International Cross Country Championships in a time of 46 minutes 29 seconds beating Alain Mimoun and Frank Sando into second and third respectively. That same year Eldon won the inaugural Nos Galan road race, and was the mystery runner in the race in 1964.
Eldon retained his 6 miles title at the 1959 AAA Championships.{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=1 May 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Footer International Cross Country Champions Men}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Eldon, Stan}}
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for England
Category:English male long-distance runners
Category:British male long-distance runners
Category:International Cross Country Championships winners
Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Sportspeople from Windsor, Berkshire
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