Chris O’Hare, Olympian and three times European Championship Medallist, has announced his retirement as a professional athlete.

Chris has been a superb ambassador for athletics in Scotland, inspired by his older brother Ryan he joined Peebles High School cross country team to be like him, realising that he was doing well and had a talent for running it inspired him to continue and take it more seriously..

Chris joined the club as a 12 year old in 2002 (City of Edinburgh) competing in the Forth Valley League, Scottish Young Athletes League and the Scottish U15 Championships.
Chris was coached by Dave Campbell, staying with Dave’s group until he moved to the USA and whenever he was back home he would drop in to the training sessions at Meadowbank.

From this platform Chris rose to become a great ambassador for Scottish Athletics, representing Scotland at two Commonwealth Games.

Winning his first Scottish U/20 U/17 Championship in 2007

A 1500m runner Chris was three times British Champion, in 2013,2017 and 2018

2008 Chris qualified for the final in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Puna, India

In 2010 Chris was recruited by the University of Tulsa, competing with them all across the USA

2013 World Championships, Moscow, Chris was selected for the 1500m, finishing 12th in the Final, the first British Athlete to reach the final for six years.

2014 Selected by GB for the World Indoor Championships in Poland.

2014 Commonwealth Games , Glasgow, Chris was 6th in the Final

2014 Chris won Bronze at the European Championships in Zurich, repeating the feat the next year 2015, with a Bronze in the European Indoor Championships.

2015 World Championships, Beijing

2016 World Indoor Championships, Portland, Oregon

2016 He made his Olympic debut in Rio, where he reached the Semi Final.

2016 3rd in the I Mile with a PB of 3:52.81 at the prestigious Millrose Games

2017 Chris qualified for the final of the 1500m in the World Championship In London.

2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Australia

2019 Silver Medal at the European Indoor Championships, Glasgow 3000m

Chris’s best Performances:
800m 1:47.34
1000m 2:20.99
1500m 3:31.11
1 Mile 3:52.91
3000m 7:47.78
5000m 13:33.99

Chris was also very much in the vanguard as our elite athletes began to reach greater heights – coming through with the likes of Eilidh Doyle, Lynsey Sharp and Eilish McColgan.

Chris played a very big part in improving the Scottish Record at 1500m, effectively trail-blazing for fellow Club members Jake Wightman and then Josh Kerr and he still holds the Indoor Men’s Mile Record at 3:52. Happily settled in the States with his wife Meredith and three children, Chris said in a statement:

‘Retiring is never an easy decision for an athlete to make but I am relieved to say that although I will miss everything about training and racing, I am happy to be a retired athlete,’ he said.

‘A huge thank you to all those who have supported me throughout my career.’ “Running has blessed me with so many opportunities and so many wonderful lifelong friendships. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve what I did without the unwavering support of so many people committed to making my dreams a reality.”

The Club is proud to have Chris as a member and to see him wearing the Edinburgh AC vest in many of his International meetings and wish him well in the future

Chris O’Hare

Ross Hepburn