Obituary | Ron Hill dies aged 82; the Olympic runner who holds the China Coast Marathon record
- Ron Hill set the record in the China Coast Marathon at its first edition in 1981 and it has still never been bettered
- While in Hong Kong, AVOHK set up a last minute race for him in Macau to help Hill achieve his 100 races in 100 countries before 70 ambition
He visited Hong Kong in 1981 to run the inaugural China Coast Marathon. He won in 2:34, a time that has still not been bettered 40 years later, though the course has changed. The China Coast Marathon is organised by the Athletic Veterans of Hong Kong (AVOHK), and he was invited back as the guest of honour in 2003.
During his latter visit, Hill was in the midst of a goal to run in 100 countries before he turned 70. AVOHK got behind the goal and one of their members, Robert Kirby, hurriedly organised a race in Macau, named “The Ron Hill Macau 10k Invitation Challenge”. He went on to achieve his pre-70 goal.
Hill was the first Briton to win the Boston Marathon in 1970. Hill also ran the 10,000-metres at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968, and set world records in 10-mile, 15-mile and 25km race categories.
He ran every day from December 20, 1964 to January 31, 2017, even following a car crash in 1993 when he suffered a snapped sternum and spent a six-week period in a plaster cast following an operation on his feet, according to the BBC.
Outside of running, he achieved a PhD in textile engineering and founded his own sports brand, Ron Hill Sports, now called Ronhill. The company was the first to use synthetic fabrics in sportswear.
“It is with immense sadness we today mourn the passing of British running legend Dr. Ron Hill M.B.E,” Ronhill, the sports company, posted on Twitter. “Our founder, our inspiration, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a runner. We send our thoughts to May, Graham, Steve and all the family at this time.”
