Edinburgh Athletic Club

Edinburgh Athletic Club is a British athletics club based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The club is based primarily at the Meadowbank Sports Centre on London Road and train on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Although founded in 2007 the club has a rich history under multiple other names.

History

The origins of the club date back to 1885 and the formation of Edinburgh Harriers who were based in the Western part of the city. They were followed by the creation of three other clubs so that the whole city could be catered for. The Edinburgh Northern Harriers arrived in 1889 and the Edinburgh Southern Harriers in 1897. Finally in 1922 the Cannon Athletic Club (later Edinburgh Eastern Harriers) were formed.

The club's first Olympic gold medalist was Wyndham Halswelle in the 400 metres event at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.

In 1961 the Edinburgh Harriers (who by now had a ladies section), Northern Harriers and Eastern Harriers all merged to become the first named Edinburgh Athletic Club but the Southern Harriers continued independently.

In 1968, Southern Harriers became the first Scottish club to participate in the inaugural British Athletics League and experienced some success, finishing third in 1975 and runner-up in 1976, while the women's Southern Harriers won the inaugural UK Women's Athletic League in 1975.

Later the Southern Harriers would race temporarily under the names Caledon Park Harriers (men) and Edinburgh Woollen Mill (women) for sponsorship purposes.

In 1996, the City of Edinburgh Athletic Club was formed when Edinburgh Athletic Club and Edinburgh Southern Harriers (men) merged to finally unify all of the men's clubs in the city. In 2006, the Southern Harriers (women) won the UK athletics league for the second time.

The final amalgamation came during 2007, when the men's club City of Edinburgh Athletics Club and Edinburgh Southern Harriers (women) became the club as it is today, a single city club for both men and women.

The first major success under the new name came with the women's section of the club after they won the UK women's athletic league in both 2013 and 2014.

Honours

• British Athletics League, runner-up; 1976
• UK Women's Athletic League; champions 1975, 2006, 2013, 2014

Notable athletes

Olympians

• Scottish unless stated

Commonwealth Games

Other

• Allister Hutton (1990 London Marathon winner)