- We are sorry to report the death, on December 28th 2018, after a short illness, of Bob Roath, a lifelong member of Walton AC and one of the county’s top long-distance runners of the 1960’s. He was 85.
Roath was a prolific runner and won the Surrey six miles title at Wimbledon Park in May 1962 in a county record 29:22.4. The same year he featured in an unusual dead-heat with his Walton club mate Chris Strange in the three miles championship at Motspur Park in 13:57.6. Both performances put him top of the Surrey rankings for those events in 1962. The following year, Roath took the bronze medal representing Surrey in the Inter-Counties 20 miles road running championship at Victoria Park in 1:47:24. He also competed in the senior men’s cross country championships 5 times between 1956 and 1969 with his best placing fourth in 1962. PROFILE. (NOTE. Bob has a son also called Bob who was an active athlete in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Previously the profile for Bob Roath Senior also included his son's performances. We have corrected this and we apologise for any confusion we may have caused).
(63) NEW YEAR HONOURS
We extend our congratulations to:- Lorna Boothe for her MBE for services to coaching and administration, Ivor Northey for his BEM for services to young people in Sport in South London
