Thomas Edgar Hammond (18 June 1878 – 18 December 1945) was a British track and field athlete who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.^[1][2] He was a founder member of the Brotherhood of Centurions (Centurion no.10) and is remembered primarily for his prowess as a long distance race walker.^[1]

Hammond was born on 18 June 1878 in Hitcham, Suffolk.^[3] He was educated at Bedford Modern School,^[4] and after school became a stockbroker at the London Stock Exchange.^[1]

In 1899, Hammond signed up for service in the Boer War, becoming cyclist orderly to Lord Kitchener.^[1] After war service he returned to stockbroking.^[1] In 1903 he came third in the Stock Exchange London-to-Brighton Walk.^[1] In 1904 he won the event in 8 hours, 26 minutes, 57 seconds which was then a record.^[1] In 1904 he joined the Surrey Walking Club, eventually becoming its President, and also became a member of the Southern Counties Road Walking Association Committee.^[5]

Prior to his appearance in the Olympics, Hammond set a number of records including London-to-Oxford (1907), London-to-Brighton and back (1907) and London-to-Brighton (1908).^[5]

In the 1908 Olympics in London he took part in the 10-mile walk event. In September 1908 he set a number of British records including the 24-hour when he covered 131 miles, 580 yards; his record stood at the time of his death in 1945.^[3] His time at 100 miles was 18-04:10.2.^[3] In 1914 he set the record for Norwich-to-Ipswich.^[5]

Hammond signed up for war service during World War I.^[1] He held the post of D.A.D.O.S. in Northern Persia and left the army in 1920 with the rank of Major.^[1]

In 1938 he was made President of the Old Bedford Modernians' Club.^[1] Hammond died in Haywards Heath, West Sussex on 18 December 1945.^[6]