Bill Hartley (athlete)
Encyclopedia
William John Hartley (born 27 June 1950) is an English
former athlete.
Hartley was raised in Lydiate
, Merseyside
on the outskirts of Liverpool
where his family ran a market garden
. He began his athletic career at age 13 as a high jump
er. By age 18 he held the Under-19 record for 400m hurdles (52.9 seconds). Following success in national and international competition, Hartley won a Silver Medal at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games
in Christchurch
, New Zealand and then a Gold Medal at the European Games in Rome
in the 400m relay.
He was a member of the winning Europa Cup 4x400m relay team, along with Alan Pascoe
, David Jenkins
and Jim Aukett.
In 1977 Hartley married fellow athlete Donna Hartley
. The marriage later ended in divorce.
An achilles tendon
problem ended his running career in 1982, after which he became a sprint coach and conditioner for Widnes Rugby League Club and then Wigan Rugby League Club.
Hartley now runs the family floriculture
business in Lydiate, along with up and coming Bodybuilder Joe Connor.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former athlete.
Hartley was raised in Lydiate
Lydiate
-Future:In 2009 planning permission was sought to be a marina on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal by Bells Lane.-Notable residents:*Ian Callaghan, former professional footballer, owned an insurance agency near the Weld Blundell....
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
on the outskirts of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
where his family ran a market garden
Market garden
A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. It is distinguishable from other types of farming by the diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically, from under one acre ...
. He began his athletic career at age 13 as a high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
er. By age 18 he held the Under-19 record for 400m hurdles (52.9 seconds). Following success in national and international competition, Hartley won a Silver Medal at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games
1974 British Commonwealth Games
The 1974 British Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch, New Zealand from 24 January to 2 February 1974. The bid vote was held in Edinburgh at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games....
in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand and then a Gold Medal at the European Games in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in the 400m relay.
He was a member of the winning Europa Cup 4x400m relay team, along with Alan Pascoe
Alan Pascoe
Alan Peter Pascoe, MBE was a British athlete who gained success in hurdles. After his athletics career, he has been successful in events marketing and consulting.-Early life and education:...
, David Jenkins
David Jenkins (athlete)
David Wilkinson Jenkins , is an American figure skater. He won the men's gold medal for figure skating during the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley...
and Jim Aukett.
In 1977 Hartley married fellow athlete Donna Hartley
Donna Hartley
Donna Hartley-Wass, born Donna-Marie Louise Murray and formerly known as Donna Hartley is a British athlete.She was born in Southampton, England in 1955. She was a south of England sprint champion, and won the AAA's 200 metres in 1972 then the 400 metres in 75. In 1977 she was U.K. 400 metres...
. The marriage later ended in divorce.
An achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
problem ended his running career in 1982, after which he became a sprint coach and conditioner for Widnes Rugby League Club and then Wigan Rugby League Club.
Hartley now runs the family floriculture
Floriculture
Floriculture, or flower farming, is a discipline of horticulture concerned with the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and for floristry, comprising the floral industry...
business in Lydiate, along with up and coming Bodybuilder Joe Connor.