The C.U.H.H. college league pays tribute in its name to Chris Brasher, perhaps the greatest athlete ever to have studied at Cambridge. The influence and esteem he has bestowed upon not only our university club but also national athletics is remarkable.
Born in 1928 Chris Brasher came to Cambridge to study, and initially on a national level it seemed that he hadn't been given the respect he deserved and was to lap up in decades to come. In 1951 he won the 5000m at the World Student Games, taking the silver as well in the 1500m. In 1952 at the Helsinki Olympics he finished 11th in the 3000m steeplechase. In 1954 he acted as pace-maker for the first half mile when Roger Bannister became the first man to break the four-minute barrier for the mile in 1954 at Iffley Road, Oxford. Consequently when the 1956 Olympics arrived in Melbourne Chris Brasher was regarded no better than Britain's third runner for the 3k Steeplechase. Nevertheless Chris Brasher pulled off the race of his life to take the Gold medal, not only smashing 6 seconds off his P.B. but also setting the new olympic record of 8.41.35. He was Britain's only track and field winner that oylmpics and, in addition, their first since 1936. After his running career came possibly his most reputable achievement. In 1979 he went to New York to run in their Marathon. Brasher then brought his love for marathon running to the U.K. and by co-founding the London Marathon, first run in 1981, turned the concept of a marathon from a race for top level athletes into a public event raising huge amounts of money for charity, drawing all levels of people from varied abilities and backgrounds. He, the President of London Marathon Limited, himself ran the London Marathon in under 3 hours at the age of 52.
Besides athletics, he is also regarded as the father of British Orienteering and first rate sports journalist. Chris Brasher paid back his loyalties to the traditional Oxbridge rivalry by giving 8 "Brasher" places to both Oxofrd and Cambridge to ensure that a Varsity match could be conducted each year at the London Marathon. With the running boom of the 70's and 80's taking off, before too long he had even invented the 'Brasher boot' and of course established a now leading Running shop, 'Sweatshop'.
Chris Brasher’s contribution to British Sport and Athletics particularly was recognised in 1996 when he was awarded a CBE.