Beryl Randle, born on the 16th of December 1928, was one of our sport’s great characters and a pioneer in terms of women’s race walking. The following tribute is based on a touching post from Birchfield Harriers, the athletics club to which she was devoted. It incorporates as well information from other sources, including that of our dear friend, Glyn Jones, who has known Beryl across the decades. Beryl died on the 28th of November, a few days short of her 95th birthday.

Beryl began her athletics career as a young girl where, as a member of the Girls’ Training Corps, Beryl volunteered to compete in a 100m novice race at Cadbury Sports in 1946. Though this wasn’t her true calling, she was scouted by a gentleman who invited her to “Come and get fit like my girls”.

Sure enough, she joined Birmingham Atalanta, training at Salford Park and discovering a skill and a passion for race walking that would define her career. She took up competitive walking, after coming last in that 100-metre sprint, and was coached by Doris Nelson Neal. To train, she would walk from her home in Walsall to her workplace in Digbeth, Birmingham, and back – 18 miles (29 km) each day. She moved to Birchfield in 1953.

Racing victories and World Records have studded Beryl’s career. On 29 May 1954, she broke the world record for the one-mile walk, with a time of 7 minutes 49 seconds. On 19 June 1954, she shaved over ten seconds from her own record, at the White City Stadium, with a time of 7 minutes 38.4 seconds. In doing so, she became the Women’s Amateur Athletic Association Champion. She was honoured for this achievement with a brooch depicting the stag logo of Birchfield Harriers in solid gold, commissioned by G.H. Alexander, then president of the club.

Beryl recalled – I remember finishing the walk with a last gasp of supreme effort. I had no idea I was going to break the world record because Nelson our coach was the sort of person who would not give away any time in training which meant that I had no idea what sort of shape that I was in that day… I just went for it from the start.

In addition, she was a six-time Midland mile track champion, four-time British mile track champion, and three-time Midland road-walking champion.

1960 witnessed one of Beryl’s most iconic moments – her performance in the race walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End, a challenge that had caught the country’s imagination. Despite leading the winner, Wendy Lewis for the majority of the route, a sprained ankle meant she finished in second place. Nevertheless, Billy Butlin of holiday camp fame, the chief sponsor, was so impressed with Bery’s fighting spirit that he presented her with a cheque for £1000 – the same as the overall winner! Due to the rules at the time, by accepting the price Beryl forfeited her amateur status.

Years later. the decision reversed, Beryl secured a World Veterans Gold Medal in the 5000m Race Walk at Gateshead in 1999 after breaking the over-70s world best for the 3,000 metres track walk.

Off the road and track Beryl played an active role locally and nationally. A life member of Birchfield, Harriers amongst many other roles, she was a coach and a team manager In 2009, she was elected President of the Midland Counties Athletics Association.

She was the Honorary General Secretary of the Race Walking Association from 1988 to 1991, and its President from 1996 to 1998. Beryl was a highly respected Race Walking Judge and officiated at several RWA Championships. She was subsequently made an Honorary Life Member and was given their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.

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