Born 13.12.1930
Elected to Herne Hill Harriers 16.4.1946
President 1962-1963
Life Member
Peter served in the guards in the second world war. He joined Herne Hill Harriers in 1946 and was a very active member of the track team racing 440 yards and 880 yards. He won the British Workers 440 yards title that year. He also turned out for the club in cross country and short road races
In the early 1950s he turned his attention to coaching becoming the clubs main middle distance coach, with great success being ever present at Tooting Bec Track on Tuesday & Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings
He was responsible for the first floodlighting at Tooting Bec track employing four large oil lamps one at each end of the straight
He bought a bike for five shillings (now 25 pence) and rode from Windsor Castle to Chiswick Stadium supporting Brian Shave in the Polytechnic Marathon. While coaching one of his athletes who was training towards longer road races he told him to run the Mitcham 15 miles road race and drop out at 9 miles to get the feel of the road
His most successful athlete was Bob Setti who is still the club 800m record holder with 1.59.4 seconds and a Commonwealth Games 4 x 400m rel;ay medallist both achieved in 1962. He also coached Stan Allen with a mile time of 4.15.1 seconds and 3.55.7 seconds for 1500m
In 1963 Peter with his wife Vicky moved to Perth, Western Australia. He continued coaching and was very proud to have been chosen to carry the Olympic Flame 700m in the build up to the Sydney 2000 Games. Despite living in Australia Peter visited the UK regularly including attending the clubs centenary dinner in 1989
Peters other Olympic connection was training with Chris Brasher, the winner of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics steeplechase and the founder of the London Marathon
The trophies Peter presented to the Club are still being presented : The Boomernag Trophy for the fastest 800m male runner and the Vicky Norris trophy for the fastest 800m female runner.