Belgrave Harriers

rdf:langString Belgrave Harriers

rdf:langString Belgrave Harriers, founded in October 1887, is an athletics club in Britain, with headquarters located in Wimbledon, close to Wimbledon Common. As of February 2013, they had the most successful record in the history of the British Athletics League, with 11 titles. In the early days, the clubs's administrative headquarters were at the Kings Arms public house in Belgravia, central London, and races were held along the Embankment of the River Thames and also over the common lands south of London, particularly on Wimbledon Common. These days, Belgrave's home track is located at the Millennium Arena, Battersea Park and club members, known as 'Belgravians', train there on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Belgrave Harriers compete in track and field, road running, racewalking and cross country events, and have traditionally drawn their members from South London and Surrey, but in recent decades have athletes from all over the United Kingdom and overseas. Belgrave Harriers' most successful period lasted from the 1920s to the 1950s, but the 21st century saw a resurgence, and they have won 29 national championships in this period on the road, in cross-country and on the track. In 2013, however, they announced their withdrawal from the British Athletics League due to a shortage of necessary volunteer officials. The club's membership contains several of Britain's leading athletes, including Olympic silver medallist and World Champion Phillips Idowu, Goldie Sayers, Dwain Chambers, William Sharman and Chicago Marathon winner Paul Evans.