Ealing Southall & Middlesex AC is mourning the loss of Mike Barratt, one of its finest ever athletes and someone who gave so much both to the Club and to the sport in general in a career lasting almost 65 years.
Mike collapsed and died yesterday lunchtime after a short run from Lauriston Cottage on the edge of Wimbledon Common, a base from which he had enjoyed thousands of training runs over many years of his life. He had celebrated his 80th birthday less than three weeks previously.
He will particularly be associated with the cross country side of the sport and represented Middlesex with great distinction at the intercounties championships. He had continued to be a familiar figure at cross country meetings after his racing days were finally over and had been in his usual place as the Ealing men’s team manager at Stevenage last weekend.
A full tribute to Mike and details of his funeral arrangements will appear here in due course. Our thoughts are with his wife Pam together with the rest of his family at this sad time.
This picture, taken by Fred Popplewell, shows Mike on the way to victory in the Southern Vets V50 Cross Country Champs in February 1983. It is a particularly fitting portrait of him in action as the race took place on Wimbledon Common.