BOTH GIANTS OF OUR SPORT

At the time in 1964 I harboured no sense that Ken Matthews’ gold and Paul Nihill’s silver were to be our last medals in the walks at the Olympics. Still mucking about, not knowing if I should focus on race walking in the absence of any events for my age, I was in awe of Ken, having witnessed first hand his rhythmic elegance at the 1963 National 10 held in a rain-sodden Manchester. My hero worship intensified as he decimated the Olympic 20 kilometres field, blowing a kiss to the crowd as he finished over one and a half minutes ahead of Lindner in second and Golubnichy third. Such was my obsession that I didn’t appreciate fully Paul’s magnificent performance in the 50 kilometres, holding the legendary Abdon Pamich to less than twenty seconds in a British record. Whilst Ken retired I had the privilege of competing against Paul in the ensuing years, within which he won a European gold at 20 kilometres in 1971 and set a world record for the same distance in 1972.

OLYMPIC 20 KILOMETRES

OLYMPIC 50 KILOMETRES

The above film shows how close Paul was to Pamich at the finish

Dave Ainsworth sends this lovely anecdote as we remember Paul’s remarkable feat.

This story has been covered in Essex Walker before – that being an occasion when an Ilford AC Club vest crossed the finishing line to gain an Olympic silver medal. The race started in terribly cold conditions. Paul Nihill was wearing his GB representative vest.  On the start line, he was very cold. Several British athletes came to give our 3 British walkers (Paul, Don Thompson & Ray Middleton) a cheer – one being Ilford AC’s 2nd Olympian Fergus Murray (now aged 82) who was in Tokyo to compete at 10,000 metres.  Fergus was wearing a quarter sleeve Ilford AC vest.  Paul Nihill asked Fergus if he could have his Ilford AC vest – which was given.  He whipped off his GB vest, put on an Ilford AC vest – then replaced his GB vest on top of Ilford’s vest. 

And John Paddick, who was there in Tokyo and the last survivor of the walks team adds:

Following being second to Abdon Pamich I understand that Paul had a pet bird called Abdon. He kept telling it how Abdon would be defeated next time.