Harold Morioka enters Surrey Sports Hall of Fame
Published 6:15 am Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Sixth in a series of 10 profiles of 2026 Surrey Sports Hall of Fame inductees, celebrated as the hall’s inaugural class during a June 2 ceremony at Surrey City Hall.
Harold Morioka, High Performance Athlete
Harold Morioka learned hard work and perseverance early. Born in 1943 in a Japanese internment camp in the Slocan Valley, he moved to Surrey in 1949 with his family, living in a small house without basic utilities.
Harold didn’t compete in organized sport until age 29, when he entered a track meet at SFU. “I thought something was wrong—no one was in front of me,” he recalls. After winning the 100m and 200m at the 1973 Provincial Championships, he was recruited to the South Fraser Track Club by coach Graham Cooper. He went on to achieve remarkable success as a Masters athlete, setting 14 world records across M45–M60 categories and becoming the only athlete to hold records from 60m to 800m. He also holds 40 BC Masters records and 18 Canadian records.
Beyond athletics, Harold was a teacher and coach at Charles Best Secondary, where his teams won 13 consecutive Fraser Valley titles. He co-founded Greyhounds Masters Track and Field Club and served as head coach (1999–2016), building one of the country’s top programs.
Despite major health challenges with his heart and knees, Harold repeatedly returned to competition. In 2018, at age 75, he staged one final comeback in Surrey, winning gold in both the 100m and 200m, capping a career defined by resilience and dedication.
Source: Surrey Sports Hall of Fame