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Sorry to be the bearer of sad news, but this was not unexpected. Our good friend John Collins from Swansea Harriers passed away this morning. John was simply everyone's friend and an unbelievable servant to the sport. The list of John's achievements is huge. In 2000, along with Clive Williams, Mike Walters and Alan and Brenda Currie he wrote "The History of Welsh Athletics". It's like an encyclopaedia and I refer to it a lot. His work for Welsh Masters has been immense. When I turned 40 and could compete as a master - all the arranging e.g. hotels, transport etc was done by John. Each invitation was hand written. There was nothing he wouldn't do for you. Older members may remember him as an athlete. Yes - John ran for Wales in the International Cross Country (now worlds) in the mid 1960s, and the standard was extraordinarily high.
And John was on many occasions the guest of honour at our dinner dance.
More details to follow when funeral arrangements are known. Rest in peace, John.
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John's finest hour - 20 March 1965 - International XC at Ostend
Individual Race Results[edit]
Men's (7.5 mi / 12.1 km)
1st, gold medalist(s) Jean Fayolle France 36:48
2nd, silver medalist(s) Mel Batty England 36:48
3rd, bronze medalist(s) Mohamed Gammoudi Tunisia 37:00
4 Michel Bernard France 37:04
5 Derek Graham Ireland 37:07
6 Jeff Julian New Zealand 37:12
7 Ron Hill England 37:13
8 Michel Jazy France 37:16
9 Jean Vaillant France 37:18
10 John Cooke England 37:19
11 Mike Freary England 37:20
12 Gerry North England 37:22
13 Dominic Keily England 37:24
14 Bernard Maroquin France 37:26
15 Jim Alder Scotland 37:28
16 Peter Welsh New Zealand 37:30
17 Mhedheb Hannachi Tunisia 37:31
18 Pat Sidon New Zealand 37:38
19 Yves Martinage France 37:41
20 Norris Wyatt New Zealand 37:48
21 Tim Johnston England 37:49
22 Hamida Addéche Algeria 37:50
23 Francisco Aritmendi Spain 37:51
24 Bryan Rose New Zealand 37:54
25 Ahmed Zammel Tunisia 37:56
26 Geoffrey Pyne New Zealand 37:58
27 Henri Clerckx Belgium 38:03
28 Fernando Aguilar Spain 38:04
29 Lorenzo Gutierrez Spain 38:05
30 Hedi Hamrouni Tunisia 38:06
31 Grant Wheeler New Zealand 38:06
32 Mariano Haro Spain 38:07
33 Iluminado Corcuera Spain 38:09
34 Marcel Senners France 38:15
35 Hans Hüneke West Germany 38:17
36 Hans Gerlach West Germany 38:18
37 Guy Caillet France 38:19
38 Ben Assou El Ghazi Morocco 38:21
39 Fergus Murray Scotland 38:22
40 Barry Everitt New Zealand 38:23
41 Ahmed Oukbouch Morocco
42 José Maiz Spain
43 Andy Brown Scotland
44 Luigi Conti Italy
45 Ali Khamassi Tunisia
46 Alfredo Rizzo Italy
47 Jesús Fernandez Spain
48 Carlos Pérez Spain
49 Allal Ben Saoudi Morocco
50 Cyrille van Geert Belgium
51 Werner Dössegger Switzerland 39:30
52 Jean Dewachter Belgium
53 Arno Krausse West Germany
54 Ron Grove England
55 Lutz Krausse West Germany
56 Abdeslem Bouchta Morocco
57 Pierre de Pauw Belgium
58 Lachie Stewart Scotland
59 Mohamed Ben Mohamed Morocco
60 Jim McNamara Ireland
61 Joseph van Lent Belgium
62 Piet Beelen Netherlands
63 Marcel Vandewattyne Belgium
64 Raymond van den Borre Belgium
65 Noel Tijou France
66 Labidi Ayachi Tunisia
67 Franco Sommaggio Italy
68 Mike Wiggs England
69 Giorgio Zanfini Italy
70 Ammar Khemiri Tunisia
71 Ian McCafferty Scotland
72 Hamoud Ameur Algeria
73 Egbert Nijstad Netherlands
74 Pat McMahon Ireland
75 Alan Parkinson New Zealand
76 Josephus Scheyen Netherlands
77 Edgar Friedli Switzerland 41:18
78 Alec Brown Scotland
79 George Blackburn Ireland
80 Robert Williams Wales
81 Manuel Alonso Spain
82 Günter Bretag West Germany
83 Bob Roath Wales
84 Carlo Sacchi Italy
85 Jacques van Eekelen Netherlands
86 Piet de Haas Netherlands
87 Mohamed Benmaguini Morocco
88 Brendan Deary Ireland
89 John Collins Wales
90 Hedydd Davies Wales
91 Tony Murphy Ireland
92 Klaus Vieth West Germany
93 Walter Dietiker Switzerland 41:48
94 John Godding Wales
95 Youssef Mastouri Tunisia
96 Joep Delnoye Netherlands
97 Bert Smit Netherlands
98 Denis Jouret Belgium
99 Oskar Leupi Switzerland 42:18
100 Don Macgregor Scotland
101 Mohamed Ben Moulay Morocco
102 William Ewing Scotland
103 Harry Simpson Ireland
104 Silvio De Florentiis Italy
105 Said Benmaguini Morocco
106 Umberto Lagana Italy
107 Manfred Steffny West Germany
108 Hammadi Ben Mohamed Morocco
109 Hugo Eisenring Switzerland 42:48
110 Ken Flowers Wales
111 Gerry Barrell Wales
112 Chris Loosley Wales
113 Alfons Ida West Germany
114 Hansruedi Knill Switzerland 43:18
115 Belkacem Chikhane Algeria
116 Belkacem Ben Sahraoui Algeria
117 Huub Coumans Netherlands
118 Tom Edmunds Wales
119 Martin Ellenberger Switzerland 43:38
120 Hansruedi Schneider Switzerland
121 Abderrahmane Delhoum Algeria
122 A. Tounsi Algeria
123 Mohamed Iridir Algeria
124 Mathieu Reinders Netherlands
125 C. Grabsi Algeria
— Jim Hogan Ireland DNF
— Gaston Roelants Belgium DNF
— Kaspar Scheiber Switzerland DNF
— Hassan Amri Algeria DNF
— Roger Young Scotland DNF
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I knew John Collins very well as a competitor and as an Administrator and a friend.He was kindness personified. We served together on the Gwent League Committee for more than 15 years and he would do anything to help me and the League. As competitors we were in the same Age Group and raced together many times. I rarely beat him at XC but I had more success on the Road. He was physically very strong and ran with his heart!! God Bless him. I will miss him terribly.
Derek Williams
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Sad to hear the news of the passing of John Collins. He worked tirelessly for Welsh Athletics and was always there at the Gwent League and Welsh Cross Country finishing funnels whatever the weather. He was an enthusiastic person, always encouraging you and cheering you on in races whichever welsh club you ran for. He was a team manager for Welsh cross country teams running in races abroad and always organised things meticulously. He will be sadly missed.
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John was an absolute gentleman. I have spoken with him on numerous occasions and he has invariably been kind, supportive,encouraging,enthusiastic to runners of all abilities and backgrounds. He was a lovely, lovely man. A very sad day indeed. RIP.
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Very sad news. As well as working tirelessly in so many roles in athletics and running, he was always friendly and supportive. A great loss.
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