Gordon Alan Wright: 1930-2025

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Gordon Wright, a senior figure at all levels of British athletics for more than 60 years.

A proud son of Grimsby, Lincolnshire, Gordon’s sporting interests started early, becoming a member of his beloved Grimsby Town Football Club’s youth teams in the post-war 1940s.

His sporting passions however soon focused on athletics where, initially, he took up the high jump, followed quickly by a move to the track; becoming a prominent and successful member of the Grimsby Harriers AC youth and senior athletics teams.

As club captain and known for his natural speed, competitive spirit and fleet of foot over 880 yds and the mile, Gordon helped the Grimsby team win numerous county championships throughout the late 1940s and 1950s.

These successes continued whilst undertaking his military service with the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment, filling a trophy cabinet with county and inter-platoon championship titles during the early 1950s.

A distinguished, senior local government officer by day, Gordon’s administrative abilities were applied in parallel to the running of athletics at all levels, following his retirement from active competition in the late 1950s.

He was a prominent figure in the development and administration of athletics with Grimsby Harriers, helping the club move firstly to a new ground, then to a new stadium, as well as encouraging many youngsters to take up the sport. This later extended to the wider Humberside area, helping cement international exchanges and bringing international meetings to the region.

From the 1970s onwards, Gordon assumed senior administrative responsibilities with what is today Northern Athletics, fulfilling numerous roles, amongst which he was a former President and the association’s Treasurer for more than 25 years.

Alongside these responsibilities, Gordon rose to the highest levels of the sport’s administration throughout the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, including:

• As England Team Manager, leading the national team to Commonwealth Games successes in Brisbane 1982 and Edinburgh 1986, during the heyday of British athletics.  His involvement with the England Team lasted seventeen years, covering numerous international meetings and competitions.
• A further 3 year spell as the Team Manager of Team GB Men’s Athletics in the late 1980s and early 1990s
• As a former director and active member of the Amateur Athletic Association for more than 30 years, for which he remained a Life Vice President to the date of his passing
• A director of the British Athletics Federation in the 1990s

Throughout this time, Gordon was also a highly-regarded regional, national and international athletics official, judging and refereeing track and marathon events.

Gordon’s travels with athletics and his amiable and positive outlook helped forge international athletics relationships which continue to flourish to this day.

One of the ‘old guard’ of British athletics administrators, his voluntary dedication and unerring commitment to the sport he loved was somehow juggled alongside a professional career and growing family.  Gordon’s wife Mary, who sadly passed away in 2023, was a pillar of support to his athletics endeavours and a treasured member of the athletics family.

Gordon’s rise to the highest levels of administrative involvement within the sport was under the mentorship of the late, great Harold Abrahams. It is perhaps fitting then that he would go on to manage teams containing some of the most successful names in the history of British track and field.

Gordon leaves behind his son Steve and daughter Sarah, and his four much-loved granddaughters, Lydia, Bethany, Olivia and Gabriella.

He also leaves behind a multitude of lifelong friendships, from nearly eighty years’ involvement in the sport he cherished so dearly.

Words: Gordon’s son Steve, with input from and gratitude to Walter Nicholls (Chairman, The Amateur Athletic Association), Freda Clarke (ex-Northern and England Athletics), John Temperton (Northern Athletics), family archives.